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The use of directives is as a valuable tool of the administrative presidency. Less is known however about their use within the United States political system of separate and shared powers where presidents do not act alone. Their directives may be in lieu of legislation or a request to Congress for support while the Supreme Court, through their decisions may help or hinder executive action. Meanwhile, within their own separate institution, presidents must rely on the federal bureaucracy to carry out their orders. This book explores the use of directives to shape race policy within this framework. Principally, this book systematically examines the use of race-related presidential directives executive orders, memoranda, and proclamations from Presidents Nixon to Biden and finds that presidents of both parties share more similarities than differences. The expansive time frame of this book provides an opportunity to consider the origins of presidential policy on race to the Supreme Court s decision to end affirmative action in higher education which signaled the need for a significant shift in race policy moving forward.
List of contents
Chapter 1. Presidents and Executive Policymaking for African Americans.- Chapter 2. Inside Presidential Policymaking.- Chapter 3. The President Takes Charge.- Chapter 4. Enhancing Equal Employment Opportunities.-Chapter 5. Creating Economic Opportunities through Minority Business Enterprise.- Chapter 6.Investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities.- Chapter 7. Moving Forward with President Biden.- Appendix 1. Lexicon of Race-Related Words.- Appendix 2. Abbreviated Timeline for Chapter 4 Enhancing Equal Employment Opportunities.- Appendix 3. Abbreviated Timeline for Chapter 5 Creating Economic Opportunities through Minority Business Enterprise.- Appendix 4. Abbreviated Timeline for Chapter 6 Investing in Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
About the author
Michelle H. Belco is a Senior Lecturer in Political Science at the University of Houston Honors College.
Summary
The use of directives is as a valuable tool of the administrative presidency. Less is known however about their use within the United States political system of separate and shared powers where presidents do not act alone. Their directives may be in lieu of legislation or a request to Congress for support while the Supreme Court, through their decisions may help or hinder executive action. Meanwhile, within their own separate institution, presidents must rely on the federal bureaucracy to carry out their orders. This book explores the use of directives to shape race policy within this framework. Principally, this book systematically examines the use of race-related presidential directives – executive orders, memoranda, and proclamations – from Presidents Nixon to Biden and finds that presidents of both parties share more similarities than differences. The expansive time frame of this book provides an opportunity to consider the origins of presidential policy on race to the Supreme Court’s decision to end affirmative action in higher education which signaled the need for a significant shift in race policy moving forward.
