Final answer:
An African American person best suited to a job represents merit-based hiring, which aligns with the principle of equality, as opposed to affirmative action that seeks to address past discrimination.
Step-by-step explanation:
An African American person who is given a job because he or she is best suited to the job is an example of merit-based hiring. This is in contrast to historical practices where race played a detrimental role in hiring choices, and the merit-based nature of civil service has historically offered more opportunities for advancement for African Americans compared to the private sector where discrimination was more prevalent.
Affirmative action was instituted to remedy past injustices and to promote workforce diversity, but it has sometimes been met with controversy. Hiring purely on the basis of qualification supports the belief in equality and the American ideal that hard work and talent determine one's social standing.