1850: The American League of Colored Laborers, the first organization of black workers, is established in New York City.

1869: The National Labor Union is the first organization of white workers to advocate the creation of black labor unions and to allow blacks to attend its annual meeting.

1869: The first national black labor organization, the Colored National Labor Union, is formed.

1918: The Department of Labor's Division of Negro Economics, the first federal bureau to attempt to ease labor-related racial tensions caused by blacks leaving the South, is established.

1941: The Fair Employment Practice Commission, the first federal agency to promote fair employment practices, is established.

1945: The Ives-Quinn Act, the first state legislation prohibiting discrimination in employment on the basis of race, creed or color is passed in New York.

1957: A. Philip Randolph, president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, is elected as the AFL-CIO's first black vice president.

1964: The Civil Rights Act of 1964, the first federal fair employment legislation, is passed.