Many people in Nixon’s camp had genuine faith in affirmative action. It wasn’t designed to fail, but it wasn’t designed to succeed, either; the intent behind it was not rooted in a desire to help black people attain equal standing in society. It was riot insurance. Furthermore, it was a financial incentive for blacks to stay in their own communities and out of the suburbs. (183)

Some of My Best Friends Are Black: The Strange Story of Integration in America