Affirmative action in federal contracting, as described in Lyndon Johnson's Executive Order $11246$ and similar civil rights legislation, affected African Americans and Latinos by: ending quota programs which had previously helped them gain jobs under federal contracts.

opening up low$-$wage work to Chinese immigrants, creating more competition for jobs.

granting preferential treatment to non$-$white job applicants.

helping them secure employment in what had been a primarily white employment sector.