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ABSTRACT
How relevant is Affirmative Action today in light of the fact that Americans have finally elected a black president? Have opportunities improved in some cases for blacks and other minorities who are projected to be the majority" in America in the 21st century and beyond? Why has Affirmative Action become such a media, political, and racist target? Do we still need Affirmative Action in the Obama era? What are the future prospects for it in American society, including schools, the workplace, and the power structure? By utilizing the deductive analytical approach, and an overview of Affirmative Action literature and cases, this paper will examine these and other questions in order to better comprehend this issue; as well as to provide some predictions about Affirmative Action and the need for it in the Obama era. Our goal is to encourage debate on Affirmative Action, which was the pinnacle of equal-opportunity progress in America during the Civil Rights era, but in recent years, appears to be losing momentum. More significantly, there appears to be the general belief (with no substantiation) in America, that with the election of the nation's first black president, discrimination is a thing of the past and affirmative action is no longer needed" (DiversityInc April, 2010).
INTRODUCTION
The election of Barack Obama as the first black President of the United States of America was received with many promises and much optimism. For many, it was an affirmation that in America, all things are possible, with equal opportunities for all, and that America is truly a unique and special country. It is because of this optimism and the positive direction of the nation, that some are now calling for the end of affirmative action policy in schools, employment, and housing, etc. This is occurring at a time, however, when hate crimes have increased and there has been a rise in racial profiling. There is also a widening gap in whiteblack achievement levels in schools; in the quality of healthcare for whites and blacks; as well as a gap in economic opportunities, to name a few. For example, a recent U.S. Education Department report noted that
Despite unprecedented efforts to improve minority achievement in the last decade, the gap between black and white...