jun 28, 1969 - 1969: Affirmative Action (Nixon encouraged this policy as a means to tackle employment discrimination. The policy involved statistical quotas for employment and educational opportunities, to affirm the rights of African Americans to have equal opportunities to whites. The policy was criticised however, as a 'rigid system of inflexible quotas' but Nixon took the view that government 'hand ups' were better than welfare 'hand outs'.) (Timeline)