After searching Google with about 20 different variations of "who benefits from Affirmative Action in Oklahoma" I was unable to find any direct statistics of the people who do and do not benefit from Affirmative Action. However, here are some national statistics.
Women:
A government study showed that women made greater gains in employment at companies doing business with the federal government, and therefore subject to federal affirmative action requirements, than at other companies.
Female employment rose 15.2% at federal contractors, and only 2.2% elsewhere.
The same study showed that federal contractors employed women at higher levels and in better paying jobs than other firms.
Many individual companies that have adopted affirmative action plans have demonstrated the impact on women.
- After IBM set up its affirmative action program, its number of female officials and managers more than tripled in less than ten years.
- Corporate commitment to women and minorities enabled Corning to double its number of female and black employees and increase the proportion of women managers to 29%.
- Motorola has been rewarded with an increased representation of women and people of color in upper-level management. The company had two women and six persons of color as vice president in 1989, but boasts 33 female and 40 minority vice presidents today.
- In 1978, the Labor Department's Office of Federal Contract Compliance (OFCCP) reviewed the employment practices of the five largest banks in Cleveland. Three years later, the percentage of women officials and managers at these institutions had risen more than 20%.
- When OFCCP first looked at the coal mining industry in 1973, there were no women coal miners. By 1980, 8.7% were women.
- Litigation against police and fire departments has resulted in affirmative action plans that have produced dramatic increases in the employment of women (and minorities) in these fields as well. In 1983, for example, women made up 9.4% of the nation's police, and 1% of firefighters. Sixteen years later, women are 16.9% of police, and 2.8% of firefighters.
Women-owned businesses, which have also benefited from affirmative action requirements, have increased since 1987 by 103%.
Blacks:
Progress of African Americans: 1959-1993
Poverty Unempl. Median Percent of
Year Rate Rate Income white median
--------------------------------------------------
1959 55.1% NA $5,998 44.6%
1960 NA 10.2% 6,200 47.0
1961 NA NA 6,525 48.6
1962 NA NA 6,814 49.4
1963 NA NA 7,423 53.7
1964 NA NA 7,929 56.2
1965 NA NA 8,155 55.4
1966 41.8 7.3 8,837 60.0
1967 39.3 7.4 9,443 62.9
1968 34.7 6.7 9,918 63.2
1969 32.2 6.4 10,430 65.8
1970 33.5 8.2 10,858 69.1
1971 32.5 9.9 10,632 67.4
1972 33.3 10.0 11,399 69.3
1973 31.4 8.9 11,555 70.1
1974 30.3 9.9 10,797 68.1
1975 31.3 14.8 10,693 68.9
1976 31.1 13.1 10,983 70.3
1977 31.3 13.1 11,059 70.2
1978 30.6 11.9 10,908 70.3
1979 31.0 11.3 10,783 71.8
1980 32.5 14.3 10,520 71.0
1981 34.2 14.2 10,367 70.7
1982 35.6 18.9 10,372 70.0
1983 35.7 19.5 10,283 68.2
1984 33.8 15.9 10,529 68.3
1985 31.3 15.1 10,882 69.3
1986 31.1 14.5 11,020 68.0
1987 32.4 13.0 11,425 69.5
1988 31.3 11.7 11,859 69.7
1989 30.7 11.4 12,052 69.7
1990 31.9 11.3 11,711 68.7
1991 32.7 12.4 11,471 68.8
1992 33.4 14.1 11,252 68.5
1993 33.1 12.9 11,614 70.7
(huppie.com)
During this period of about 40 years, African American living at or below the poverty line decreased from 55.1% to 33.1%. In addition, median income more the doubled. Many of these increases are related to Affirmative Action in both education and the work force.
Because affirmative action gives preference to women and minorities, it may harm white males' chances at success. This group makes up about 35% of the American population.(census.gov) Affirmative Action may harm them in a number of ways.
White males may be laid off at work so the employer may fulfill the mandatory white-to-colored employee ratio
not accepted to a university due to preference towards other groups
not be given a job for the same reason.
