Image of Frederick Douglass;one of the presidents of the CNLU.
Credit: Frontispiece: Frederick Douglass, My Bondage and My Freedom: Part I- Life as a Slave, Part II- Life | ©Public Domain
The Colored National Labor Union - One of America's First Black Workers Unions
The Colored National Labor Union was founded in 1869 by 214 Black Americans for equal representation and employment in the work force for Black Americans who were seeking employment and training in the construction and other trades related. The first Black president was named Issac Myers. He was a caulker by profession and the president of the Colored Caulker's Trade Union Society in Baltimore, Maryland in 1868.
The Colored National Labor Union was influenced heavily by the first union founded by Andrew Cameron known as the National Labor Union which was founded in 1866. Even though not the first American union, it was highly noted as a landmark organization which paved the way for other organizations of importance such as the American Federation of Labor, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL - CIO), the Knights of Labor and the Industrial Workers of the World.
The American Federation of Labor was founded on December 8, 1886 in Columbus, Ohio by English born American raised labor leader Samuel Gompers (1850 - 1924). The AFL was the largest grouping of unions in the United States such as the Cigar Maker's National Union of America which was founded in 1864. It had a diverse background of people and even included women into the ranks of the workers.
The Congress of Industrial Organizations was first proposed by Texas Senator Huey Long in 1932 and was a federation of unions that existed as industrial unions of organized workers in both countries of Canada and the United States of America from 1935 - 1955. It was more aggressive than the American Federation of Labor and had more radical members. It was founded on November 9, 1935. It had workers who were more involved within the political world and were also extreme leftists.
The Knights of Labor (also known as the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor) was founded in by seven tailors from Philadelphia in 1869 led by Uriah S. Stephens (1821 - 1882). It was the most important American labor organization in the 19th century. It backed a populist economic nationalism idea of support for the ordinary small businessman and entrepreneur.
The Colored National Labor Union was influenced heavily by the first union founded by Andrew Cameron known as the National Labor Union which was founded in 1866. Even though not the first American union, it was highly noted as a landmark organization which paved the way for other organizations of importance such as the American Federation of Labor, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL - CIO), the Knights of Labor and the Industrial Workers of the World.
The American Federation of Labor was founded on December 8, 1886 in Columbus, Ohio by English born American raised labor leader Samuel Gompers (1850 - 1924). The AFL was the largest grouping of unions in the United States such as the Cigar Maker's National Union of America which was founded in 1864. It had a diverse background of people and even included women into the ranks of the workers.
The Congress of Industrial Organizations was first proposed by Texas Senator Huey Long in 1932 and was a federation of unions that existed as industrial unions of organized workers in both countries of Canada and the United States of America from 1935 - 1955. It was more aggressive than the American Federation of Labor and had more radical members. It was founded on November 9, 1935. It had workers who were more involved within the political world and were also extreme leftists.
The Knights of Labor (also known as the Noble and Holy Order of the Knights of Labor) was founded in by seven tailors from Philadelphia in 1869 led by Uriah S. Stephens (1821 - 1882). It was the most important American labor organization in the 19th century. It backed a populist economic nationalism idea of support for the ordinary small businessman and entrepreneur.
Comments
I knew little about this - great stuff.
When I was helping my Mom by cleaning up the mess of her house, I found my father had saved his father's Union dues cards from the early 1900s. I have no idea what Union my Dad belonged to. Because he was a Union member, he hired Union labor and paid Union wages to his workers even if they did not belong to the Union. When his business was slow, he could get other work through his Union.
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