Affirmative action in the United States

In the United States, affirmative action consists of government-mandated, government-approved, and voluntary private programs granting special consideration to groups considered or classified as historically excluded, specifically racial minorities and women. These programs tend to focus on access to education and employment in order to redress the disadvantages associated with past and present discrimination.

Source: Wikipedia — Affirmative action in the United States (CC BY-SA 4.0)