President John F. Kennedy issued Executive Order 10925 in 1961, establishing the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity. This landmark use of executive power in the United States introduced the term ‘affirmative action’ to the federal lexicon, requiring government contractors to ensure non-discriminatory hiring practices.
TLDR: In 1961, President John F. Kennedy utilized executive authority to issue Order 10925, mandating that federal contractors take affirmative action to ensure equal employment. This move significantly expanded the role of the presidency in civil rights enforcement and set the stage for future federal labor and equality standards.
On March 6, 1961, President John F. Kennedy signed Executive Order 10925, a landmark directive that fundamentally reshaped the relationship between the American federal government and the private sector. This order established the President’s Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity (PCEEO) and, for the first time in the nation’s history, introduced the phrase “affirmative action” into the federal regulatory lexicon. By leveraging the executive branch’s immense procurement power, Kennedy sought to bypass a gridlocked Congress, where Southern Democrats frequently used the filibuster to block civil rights legislation. The directive mandated that any project funded by federal tax dollars must ensure that applicants are employed and that employees are treated during employment without regard to their race, creed, color, or national origin.
The political climate of the early 1960s was defined by escalating pressure from civil rights leaders like A. Philip Randolph and Martin Luther King Jr., who argued that previous non-discrimination pledges were largely symbolic. While Presidents Franklin D. Roosevelt and Dwight D. Eisenhower had established committees to investigate bias in defense industries, these bodies lacked the teeth necessary for real enforcement. Kennedy’s order changed this dynamic by granting the PCEEO the authority to investigate complaints, conduct compliance reviews, and, most significantly, cancel contracts or debar non-compliant firms from future government business. Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson was appointed to chair the committee, a move that signaled the administration’s high-level commitment and gave Johnson a platform to develop the civil rights credentials he would later use as president.
The inclusion of the term “affirmative action” is often attributed to Hobart Taylor Jr., an African American attorney and staffer on the committee. When drafting the order, Taylor sought a phrase that implied more than just passive non-discrimination; he wanted to compel employers to take positive, proactive steps to seek out minority candidates. This represented a philosophical shift in American law: the government was no longer merely a neutral arbiter of disputes but an active participant in social engineering aimed at correcting historical inequities. Contractors were now expected to demonstrate their efforts to recruit, train, and promote a diverse workforce, moving beyond the “colorblind” rhetoric of the previous decade.
Implementation of the order faced immediate logistical and political hurdles, particularly in the Jim Crow South. Many Southern contractors and politicians viewed the mandate as an unconstitutional overreach of federal authority and a direct assault on states’ rights. Despite this fierce opposition, the PCEEO launched the “Plans for Progress” program, which encouraged major corporations to voluntarily integrate their workforces. These reviews often revealed systemic exclusion of African American workers from skilled positions and management tracks, even in companies that claimed to be meritocratic. The committee’s work forced industrial giants in the aerospace, automotive, and textile sectors to integrate their facilities and payrolls, creating a blueprint for federal oversight of labor practices that would be refined over the following decades.
The legacy of Executive Order 10925 served as a critical bridge between the early, protest-driven phase of the civil rights movement and the landmark legislative achievements of the mid-1960s. It provided the administrative framework and the legal vocabulary that would later be expanded by President Johnson in Executive Order 11246, which added gender to the protected categories and further institutionalized affirmative action. Furthermore, the enforcement mechanisms and data-collection methods developed by the PCEEO directly informed the creation of the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) under the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Today, the debate over executive power and the limits of affirmative action remains a central fixture of American legal and political discourse, tracing its origins back to this pivotal “stroke of a pen” in 1961.
Miles Harrington serves as the Senior Correspondent for Federal Systems & Executive Power at Just Right News, where he brings a disciplined, constitutionalist lens to the inner workings of the American government. With a focus on the mechanics of the federal bureaucracy and the limits of executive authority, Harrington has established himself as a vital voice for readers who value transparency, accountability, and the preservation of the separation of powers.
A native of Richmond, Virginia, Harrington’s perspective is deeply rooted in the traditions of the Old Dominion. Growing up in a city defined by its historical significance and its role as a center of American jurisprudence, he developed an early appreciation for the foundational principles of the Republic. His upbringing in Richmond—a place where the legacy of the Founding Fathers is woven into the landscape—instilled in him a belief that the federal government should remain within its constitutional bounds. This background informs his skepticism of centralized overreach and his commitment to reporting on the ways in which the administrative state impacts the lives of everyday citizens.
In his current role, Harrington specializes in the complexities of federal systems. He doesn’t just report on the headlines of the day; he digs into the structural shifts within the executive branch that often go unnoticed by the mainstream press. Whether he is analyzing the implications of a new federal regulation or investigating the expansion of agency jurisdiction, his work is characterized by a rigorous adherence to the facts and a dedication to the rule of law.
Harrington is perhaps best known for his signature feature series, “How Washington Works.” Through this ongoing project, he demystifies the often-opaque processes of the nation’s capital, pulling back the curtain on the “Deep State” and the unelected officials who wield significant influence over national policy. By breaking down complex legislative maneuvers and executive orders, he empowers Just Right News readers to understand the true levers of power in Washington. His reporting serves as a necessary check on the federal government, ensuring that the actions of those in power are held up to the light of public scrutiny.
Now based in Washington, D.C., Harrington operates at the epicenter of the political world, yet he remains intentionally distanced from the “Beltway bubble.” His proximity to the halls of power allows him to maintain a robust network of sources across the federal landscape, but his heart remains in the principled conservatism of his Virginia roots. He views his role not merely as a reporter, but as a steward of the public trust, dedicated to providing the clarity and context that conservative voters need to navigate an increasingly complex political environment.
Through his sharp analysis and unwavering commitment to the truth, Miles Harrington continues to be a cornerstone of the Just Right News team. His work ensures that the principles of limited government and executive restraint remain at the forefront of the national conversation, providing a crucial service to those who believe in a government that is truly of, by, and for the people.