Introduction -- Chapter 1. New deal: the dawn of U.S. affirmative action. Posts in Cabinets urged for women / by The New York Times ; Geneva labor body to study discrimination against employment of aging workers / Wireless to The New York Times ; Equal job rights for women asked / by The New York Times ; President orders an even break for minorities in defense jobs / special to The New York Times ; New board set up to end hiring bias / special to The New York Times ; Warns railroads on Negro job ban / by Louis Stark ; Bill for equal pay offered in Senate / special to The New York Times ; Even break urged for all workers / special to The New York Times ; Wagner Act changes / by The New York Times.

Chapter 2. Civil rights march affirmative action forward. Union is directed to admit Negroes / special to The New York Times ; Civil rights gain reported by A.J.C. / by The New York Times ; Kennedy statement and executive order on equal job opportunity / special to The New York Times ; Kennedy sets pattern on civil rights / by Anthony Lewis ; Bans on job bias effective today / by John Herbers ; President urges Congress to ban all housing bias / by John D. Pomfret ; Senate approves civil rights bill by 71-to-20 vote / by Marjorie Hunter ; New U.S. job plan for Negroes set / by Roy Reed ; Philadelphia plan: how White House engineered major victory / by Robert b. Semple Jr. ; After nine years -- a homecoming for the first Black girl at the University of Georgia / by Charlayne Hunter.

Chapter 3. 'Reverse discrimination' threatens progress. Gains are made in federal drive for Negro hiring / by John Herbers ; U.S. judge upolds controversial Philadelpha plan to increase hiring of minorities in building industry / by Donald Janson ; Stakes in Bakke / by Anthony Lewis ; N.A.A.C.P. says Baake ruling has brought cuts in minority plans / by Thomas A. Johnson ; Affirmative action ruling is called a breakthrough / by Linda Greenhouse ; Plans to ease hiring rules attacked / by Colin Campbell ; Rights panel sees decline in U.S. enforcement / by Julie Johnson ; Bush vows rights effort on jobs and economic development / by Julie Johnson ; Justices, 5 to 4, cast doubts on U.S. programs that give preferences based on race / by Linda Greenhouse ; Administration backs affirmative action plan / by Neil A. Lewis ; Supreme Court dismisses challenge in its main affirmative action case / by Linda Greenhouse.

Chapter 4. Affirmative action in academia. Court to weigh college admission that gives minorities preference / by Lesley Oelsner ; Dangers of racial quotas / by Larry M. Lavinsky ; Moving beyond affirmative action / by Thomas J. Espenshade ; Between the lines of the affirmative action opinion / by John Schwartz ; Colleges that ask applicants about brushes with the law draw scrutiny / by Stephanie Saul ; Supreme Court upholds affirmative action program at University of Texas / by Adam Liptak ; 'Lopping,' 'Tips' and the 'Z-list': bias lawsuit explores Harvard's admissions secrets / by Anemona Hartocollis, Amy Harmon and Mitch Smith ; Rest of the Ivy League comes to Harvard's aid in admissions challenge / by Anemona Hartocollis ; Justice Dept. backs suit accusing Harvard of discriminating against Asian-American applicants / by Katie Benner ; What's at stake in the Harvard lawsuit? Decades of debate over race in admissions / Anemona Hartocollis ; I'm for affirmative action. Can you change my mind? / by Gary Gutting.

Chapter 5. Future of affirmative action. If affirmative action is doomed, what's next? / by David Leonhardt ; Making affirmative action white again / by Ira Katznelson ; Trump officials reverse Obama's policy on affirmative action in schools / by Erica L. Green, Matt Apuzzo and Katie Benner ; Curse of affirmative action / by Bret Stephens ; Challengers of affirmative action have a new target: New York City's elite high schools / by Eliza Shapiro ; Do American women still need an Equal Rights Amendment? / by Susan Chira.