Jonathan R. Beckwith received his AB in chemistry and his PhD in biochemical sciences from Harvard University in 1957 and 1961, respectively. Along with James Shapiro and Lawrence J. Eron, he is credited with isolating the first gene from a bacterial chromosome in 1969.

Maude and Lillian Presley Professor of Social Medicine and Professor of Psychiatry

Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Harvard Medical School 1966—1977

The Joseph L. Henry Oral Health Fellowship in Minority Health Policy was established in the Office for Diversity Inclusion and Community Partnership in 2005. The Fellowship honors the legacy of Dr. Joseph L. Henry, the first Black professor at the Harvard School of Dental Medicine, by preparing the next generation of leaders in minority health and minority health policy.

In 2014, Harvard College was sued by the group Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA), founded by Edward Blum, an anti-affirmative action activist. Blum and SFFA have a history of litigation targeting civil rights protections. The lawsuit alleged that Harvard College discriminated against Asian-American applicants based on their race.

Fisher v. University of Texas is a Supreme Court case concerning the affirmative action policy of the University of Texas at Austin. The suit, initially brought by Abigail Fisher and Rachel Michalewicz in 2008, alleged that the University of Texas at Austin discriminated against both women on the basis of their race in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. Michalewicz withdrew from the case in 2011.

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) are the first part of the comprehensive healthcare reform law signed by President Barack Obama on March 23, 2010.

Grutter v. Bollinger was a landmark case of the Supreme Court concerning affirmative action in student admissions. A prospective student to the University of Michigan Law School, Barbara Grutter, alleged that she was discriminated against on the basis of race after she was denied admission to the school.

Executive Order 11246 established requirements for non-discriminatory practices in hiring and employment by government contractors. The executive order was signed by President Lyndon B. Johnson on September 24, 1965. It also required contractors to implement affirmative action plans to increase the participation of minorities and women in the workplace.

Executive Order 9981 abolished discrimination “on the basis of race, color, religion or national origin” in the United States Armed Forces. It was signed by President Harry S. Truman on July 26, 1948, and led to ending segregation in military schools, hospitals, and bases.