The Colored National Labor Union arrived shortly after the development of the National Labor Union, which happened to be the first major organization founded by Andrew Cameron in 1866. The National Labor Union was dedicated with helping unions such as construction and other skilled groups and even sometimes towards farmers. At this point in time African Americans were struggling to be noticed and taken seriously in the work field and in society they felt that if they started their own national union it would help their position in society because they were not given any help from the National Labor Union. The only thing that the National Union offered to African Americans was to encourage them to organize and separate that could be affiliated with the National Labor Union but this plan was clearly not designed to help with racial unity because it only left black workers fighting for an entry into the union. In 1869 African Americans came together as one to form the Colored National Labor Union and appointed Isaac Myers as their president, Myers stated that the CNLU was a “safeguard for the colored man…the white and color must come together and work.” Unfortunately the CNLU was very unsuccessful for society and the government did not take it seriously. With racism at an all time high, the Colored National Labor Union was not even given a chance because the majority of white society did not allow African Americans to prevail over them nor did they want them to be given a chance to.
History
The Colored National Labor Union was a post-civil war organization founded in 1869 by an assembly of 214 African Americans. This organization was created in pursuit of equal representation for African Americans in the workforce. The labor union was first led by Isaac Myers, who was later replaced by civil rights activist Frederick Douglas who became the head of the CNLU in 1872.
Previously in 1866, the National Labor Union (NLU) was established. One of the coordinators of the NLU, A.C. Cameron, while speaking at a national convention focused on the issue of Black workers and declared “…interests of the labor cause demand that all workingmen be included within the ranks without regard to race or nationality…” However, despite this statement the best that was offered to the African American workforce, was permission to arrange a separate union. This union established would be a branch of the NLU and therefore would be associated with it. The word “colored” was added the previous name, National Labor Union. Thus, creating the Colored National Labor Union.
Myers stated about the segregated groups: “…for real success separate organization is not the real answers. The white and colored … must come together and work together… The day has passed for the establishment of organizations based upon color…”
The CNLU welcomed all workers no matter what race, gender, or occupation. In the end, both the CNLU and the NLU began to decline because of new organizations like the Knights of Labor who promoted having a national organization which united workers “without regard to race or color.” The Knights of Labor adopted the slogan, “An injury to one is a concern for all.”
It was not until after World War II in the 1940’s that the U.S. government stepped in and encouraged the development of the Fair Employment Practices Commission.
References
Intro to Afro-American Studies: Black Workers and the Labor Movement at eblackstudies.org
Colored National Labor Union: http://www.answers.com/topic/colored-national-labor-union
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