Johnson Executive Order 11246 mandates affirmative action by federal contractors

President Lyndon B. Johnson signs Executive Order 11246, expanding federal contractor affirmative action requirements beyond Kennedy's 1961 order. The order requires federal contractors and subcontractors to develop affirmative action plans, set hiring goals and timetables for recruiting and promoting women and minorities, and report progress to the Office of Federal Contract Compliance. The order creates enforceable numerical goals and timetables—the first systematic framework for measuring progress toward workforce diversity. This executive action becomes one of the most consequential drivers of affirmative action in both private and public sector employment, establishing the template for diversity initiatives nationwide.