In this paper, I've tried to introduce the basics of affirmative action, its historical background and argumentation behind it. Its roots lay in the American history, starting with huge racial discrimination all the way to attempts of amending it. In the 1960's, affirmative action initiated what has been waiting in line for redressing way too long. The ideal of a better society is what provoked many changes in the law, which finally led to some famous court cases, such as Bakke or Hopwood case. Many individuals saw themselves as the injured parties in the whole story and consequently controversies started to arise. Public opinion was highly divided on the subject, just as one of the experts. The laws considering affirmative action were made on the fly, making new conclusions from one case to another, trying to build the best possible set of rules for a just implementation of racial preferences, but it became impossible. Affirmative actions' best years are long gone and it looks like its supporters will have to give up on their current methods of conducting equality and justice, and find completely new ones. How will they do it and what will happen in the future is still not completely clear, all we know is that we have find a new, different kind of approach and do our best to finally achieve a world without racial discrimination.