Promoting Opportunity and Racial Equality in America:

A Guide for Federal, State and Local Governments

Government officials are in a unique position to help make equality and opportunity a reality for all Americans. This document explains that even after the Supreme Court’s June 2009 decision in Ricci v. DeStefano, federal, state, and local government officials may take actions to advance racial equality and promote opportunity for individuals from all racial backgrounds while respecting equal protection rights guaranteed by the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.