Affirmative Action - (Primary Documents in American History and Contemporary Issue) by Jo Ann Robinson (Hardcover)

About the Book

Examining affirmative action and its history through these 400 documents that trace its roots and development, this work is an invaluable reference resource. Race, gender, and disability, as they pertaing to affirmative action, are also explored. By providing a thorough presentation of the arguments both for and against, this reference encourages critical thinking as it details the ins and outs of the debate.

From government reports to cartoons, high school and college students will find multiple perspectives on affirmative action. They can view the issue through the eyes of law-makers, judges, presidents, activists, the media, social scientists, those who have benefited from it, and those who have been threatened by it. They can also discover its application in a myriad of disciplines from sports to education to business to the arts. An explanatory introduction precedes each document to aid readers in understanding the various arguments that have been put forth in this debate, providing the researcher with accessible references to all sides of the subject.

Book Synopsis

Examining affirmative action and its history through these 400 documents that trace its roots and development, this work is an invaluable reference resource. Race, gender, and disability, as they pertaing to affirmative action, are also explored. By providing a thorough presentation of the arguments both for and against, this reference encourages critical thinking as it details the ins and outs of the debate.

From government reports to cartoons, high school and college students will find multiple perspectives on affirmative action. They can view the issue through the eyes of law-makers, judges, presidents, activists, the media, social scientists, those who have benefited from it, and those who have been threatened by it. They can also discover its application in a myriad of disciplines from sports to education to business to the arts. An explanatory introduction precedes each document to aid readers in understanding the various arguments that have been put forth in this debate, providing the researcher with accessible references to all sides of the subject.

Review Quotes

?Recommended for the advanced researcher in high school and certainly for college.?-Blanche Woolls & David Loertscher (GaleGroup.com)

?The documents are an excellent teaching tool for the classroom, and the introduction suggests review questions for instructors. The selection of documents is invaluable if only because the scope is not limited to race discrimination. Texts providing equal weight to race, gender, and disability discrimination are rare. The material is suitable for undergraduates, high school students, and the lay reader. Some law libraries may also want to add this book to their collections.?-American Reference Books Annual

?This book presents affirmative action processes from before the Civil War to the present. In one volume, the editor has combined primary sources and put them in a historical perspective. Because the controversial affirmative action topic is so often researched for social studies and English classes, this will be a valuable addition to a high school collection. Recommended.?-The Book Report

"Recommended for the advanced researcher in high school and certainly for college."-Blanche Woolls & David Loertscher (GaleGroup.com)

"This book presents affirmative action processes from before the Civil War to the present. In one volume, the editor has combined primary sources and put them in a historical perspective. Because the controversial affirmative action topic is so often researched for social studies and English classes, this will be a valuable addition to a high school collection. Recommended."-The Book Report

"The documents are an excellent teaching tool for the classroom, and the introduction suggests review questions for instructors. The selection of documents is invaluable if only because the scope is not limited to race discrimination. Texts providing equal weight to race, gender, and disability discrimination are rare. The material is suitable for undergraduates, high school students, and the lay reader. Some law libraries may also want to add this book to their collections."-American Reference Books Annual

About the Author

JO ANN OOIMAN ROBINSON is Professor of History at Morgan State University. She is the author of Abraham Went Out: A Biography of A.J. Muste.