The Colored National Labor Union arrived shortly after the development of the National Labor Union

National Labor Union

The National Labor Union was the first national labor federation in the United States. Founded in 1866 and dissolved in 1873, it paved the way for other organizations, such as the Knights of Labor and the AF of L . It was led by William H...

, 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 American

African American

African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

s 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 left black workers only 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

Racism

Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...

 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 in Washington D.C. 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 Douglass

Frederick Douglass

Frederick Douglass was an American social reformer, orator, writer and statesman. After escaping from slavery, he became a leader of the abolitionist movement, gaining note for his dazzling oratory and incisive antislavery writing...

 who became the head of the CNLU in 1872.

Previously in 1866, the National Labor Union

National Labor Union

The National Labor Union was the first national labor federation in the United States. Founded in 1866 and dissolved in 1873, it paved the way for other organizations, such as the Knights of Labor and the AF of L . It was led by William H...

 (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

Knights of Labor

The Knights of Labor was the largest and one of the most important American labor organizations of the 1880s. Its most important leader was Terence Powderly...

adopted the slogan, "An injury to one is a concern for all."

It was not until after World War II in the 1940s that the U.S. government stepped in and encouraged the development of the Fair Employment Practices Commission.http://eblackstudies.org/intro/chapter7.htmhttp://www.answers.com/topic/colored-national-labor-union