From the late 19th century through the New Deal era, tens of thousands of African Americans found relatively well-paying jobs on American railroads. However, their jobs were perpetually endangered by the racist policies of the railroad unions, who eventually turned to the government for help in enforcing discrimination.

American HistoryCulture and SocietyEconomic History and DevelopmentEconomyLabor Law and RegulationLaw and LibertyRace Issues
Other Independent Review articles by David E. Bernstein
Winter 2006/07 Black Americans and Organized Labor: A New History