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Brigham Young University Prelaw Review

Keywords

Affirmative Action, Asian Americans, college admissions, data disaggregation, diversity, Equal Protection Clause, higher education, race

Abstract

Since its founding, people all over the world have looked towards

America as a land of opportunity. Immigrants viewed it as a place

for fresh starts, new beginnings, and equal chances. However, for

centuries, concrete and subtle barriers have slowed the opportunity

for progress for those who are not in the majority. Throughout America’s

beginnings, lawmakers legalized segregation and discrimination

throughout the country multiple times. The Chinese Exclusion

Act prevented Asian Americans from immigrating to the United

States to pursue opportunities. Jim Crow laws enforced racial segregation

and ensured that though African Americans were no longer

enslaved, they did not have all the same rights as other citizens.

Historically, these discriminatory systems prevented individuals

from improving their own lives and contributing to wider society. In

response to these systems, advocates fought to create laws and regulations

that would even the playing field.

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