1935: The National Labor Relations Act passed, introducing the words “affirmative action” for the first time in history. 

1961: President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925, which used the term “affirmative action” to refer to measures designed to achieve non-discrimination, instructing federal contractors to take “affirmative action to ensure that applicants are treated equally without regard to race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.” This Executive Order established the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity.

1963: President John F. Kennedy said the words “affirmative action” on national television.

1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which led to the creation of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

1965: President Lyndon B. Johnson issued Executive Order 11246, requiring federal contractors to take affirmative action to ensure equality of employment opportunity without regard to race, religion, and national origin. 

1968: President Lyndon B. Johnson amended Executive Order 11246 to include gender, expanding good faith recruitment efforts to reach women and minorities.

1968: President Lyndon B. Johnson introduced the Labor Department Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCCP), which enforced compliance with Executive Order 11246.

1970: The Labor Department, under President Richard M. Nixon, issued Order No.4, authorizing flexible goals and timetables to correct the “underutilization” of minorities by federal contractors.  The term “underutilization” refers to the presence of fewer minorities or women in a particular job group than would reasonably be expected, given their availability.

1971: Order Number 4 was amended to include women.

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.