The association was engaged in a frustrating wrestling match with the N.F.L. over league owners' resistance to hiring African-Americans for coaching and upper-management positions.

The only thing more remarkable than the owners' steadfast resistance to hiring African-Americans is the players' accommodation to that attitude.

Since the suit was filed in November, Merrill has been hiring African-Americans at an unusually fast pace, according to black brokers at the firm.

Why is there a reluctance to hire African-Americans as football coaches?

The justification for the policy against hiring African-Americans was that they would distract from the consistent look of the dance group.

Ford hired European immigrants, African-Americans, ex-convicts, and the disabled and paid comparatively high wages, but was quick to dismiss anyone involved in labor unions or radical political associations.

The early cases brought under the law were predominantly class- action suits against employers who refused to hire African-Americans in higher-paying jobs and industries, like steel and aircraft manufacturing.

Malone's enrollment at Trinity was not without cost or risk, because local residents refused to hire African-Americans who sent their children to the school.

The war powers bestowed by the Act were first used in August 1944 when the Fair Employment Practices Commission ordered the Philadelphia Transportation Company to hire African-Americans as motormen.

His response was that if he were not to hire African-Americans with criminal records, then "there would be virtually no African-Americans employees in our society or in our industry."