Rachel Dolezal knew that minorities had hiring advantages years ago.
So did Elizabeth Warren and Ward Churchill.
And I know first hand that at least as far back as the 1970s, MANY college applicants found that claiming minority status was an advantage when making an application to both college admissions AND various scholarship programs.
The only difference is that the racism is blatantly overt today and is justified by odious and self-righteous virtue signaling, with particularly vituperative condemnation of those who point it out.