Final answer:
Unions often excluded African American workers due to racial prejudice, economic competition, and union concerns over strikebreaking and wage undercutting. A. Philip Randolph and World War II provided impetus for changes, but it was a gradual process, with shifts in corporate and government attitudes towards a diverse workforce, and pressure from civil rights movements, that eventually led to more inclusive hiring practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the late 19th and early 20th centuries, unions often excluded African American workers for a variety of reasons. These included widespread racial prejudice, the perception that blacks would be strikebreakers or accept lower wages, and the threat of job competition in a tight labor market. For example, black miners in the South found difficulty becoming accepted as regular members in trade unions and often received inadequate pay compared to their white counterparts.
During World War II, the dynamic began to shift. African American labor leader A. Philip Randolph pushed for changes, leading to President Roosevelt's Executive Order 8802, which aimed to eliminate racial discrimination in the defense industry. Yet, despite such efforts, corporate America and government jobs were slow to integrate, often relegating African American employees to the lowest-paying positions.
As the conflict of racial discrimination in employment persisted, African Americans used consumer protests and boycotts, particularly during the prosperity of World War II, to pressure white-controlled businesses to end segregation and hire black workers. In cities, African Americans faced high unemployment rates, and available jobs often went to white workers first.
Eventually, changes began to occur as companies recognized that discrimination was against their interests, diversity brought new perspectives, and the growing power of black consumer and civil rights movements made it politically and economically disadvantageous to continue discriminatory hiring practices.