--Title VII of The Civil Rights Act of 1964
This legislation prohibits discrimination in programs receiving Federal funds. Title VII prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex (including pregnancy).

-Regents of the Univ. of CA v. Bakke, 438 US 265 (1978)      
 In this case the Supreme Court ruled that racial quotas were invalid but consideration of race was not banned in university admissions decisions.

-United Steel Workers v. Weber, 443 US 193 (1979)
The Supreme Court held, that a voluntary private employer plan that implements affirmative action which has the effect of disadvantaging white workers, did not violate Title VII.

-Wygant v. Jackson Board of Education, 476 US 267 (1986)
The Court overturned a particular policy that the Jackson Board of Education had adopted in laying off teachers so that the percentage of layoffs would be the same among black and white teachers. But a majority of the Court agreed that public employers may sometimes voluntarily embark upon a race-conscious scheme for remedying past discrimination. The plurality opinion also concluded that even where a race-conscious statute operates against a group that has not been the victim of discrimination, strict scrutiny (the racial classification must be justified by a compelling governmental interest and the means chosen must be narrowly tailored to the achievement of that interest) must be applied.

-Johnson v. Santa Clara Transportation Agency, 480 US 616 (1987)
The Court ruled that affirmative action plans to alleviate statistical imbalances did not violate Title VII of The Civil Rights Act of 1964.

-Richmond v. Croson, 488 US 469 (1989)
The Court held that race-based affirmative action plans must be subjected to the same strict scrutiny as are governmental actions that intentionally discriminate against racial minorities. Statistical disparities by themselves did not constitute grounds to demonstrate past discrimination.