1970
The Labor Department, under President Richard M.
Nixon, issued Order No. 4, authorizing flexible
goals and timetables to correct "underutilization"
of minorities by federal contractors.
1971
Order No. 4 was revised to include women.
1971
President Nixon issued E.O. 11625, directing federal
agencies to develop comprehensive plans and specific
program goals for a national minority Business
Enterprise (MBE) contracting program.
1973
The Nixon administration issued
"Memorandum-Permissible Goals and Timetables in
State and Local Government employment Practices,"
distinguishing between proper goals and timetables
and impermissible quotas.
1978
The U.S. Supreme Court in Regents of the University
of California v. Bakke, 438 U.S. 912 (1978) upheld
the use of race as one factor in choosing among
qualified applicants for admission. At the same
time, it also ruled unlawful the University Medical
School's practice of reserving 18 seats in each
entering class of 100 for disadvantaged minority
students.
1979
President Jimmy Carter issued E.O. 12138, creating a
National Women's Business Enterprise Policy and
requiring each agency to take affirmative action to
support women's business enterprises.
1979
The Supreme Court ruled in United Steel Workers of
America, AFL-CIO v. Weber, 444 U.S. 889 (1979) that
race-conscious affirmative-action efforts designed
to eliminate a conspicuous racial imbalance in an
employer's workforce resulting from past
discrimination are permissible if they are temporary
and do not violate the rights of white employees.
1983
President Ronald Reagan issued E.O. 12432, which
directed each federal agency with substantial
procurement or grant-making authority to develop a
Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) development plan.