The history of Equal Opportunity Employment stemmed from large grassroots efforts from minority groups, particularly African Americans. The fervent anti-discrimination movement began in the early 20th century with a period of interracial lobbying, litigation and public advocacy. The fruits of success had eventually begun to be realized with the passage and enacting of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Anti-discriminatory protections were extended to persons with disabilities with the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (1990).

The Civil Rights Cases (1883)
In 1883, African Americans presented a series of cases known as "The Civil Rights Cases" to the United States Supreme Court. These plaintiffs were African Americans who had been denied access to business establishments and other facilities on the basis of their race. At the time these establishments were not traditionally considered to be public and thus not subject to the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment. The U.S. Supreme Court determined that Congress does not have the authority to legislate and enforce, through direct and primary means, laws against private discrimination. Congress was only allowed to prohibit state-sponsored discrimination because the freedom to discriminate was viewed as a First Amendment right.

Fair Employment Practices Committee (1941)
To avert large scale protests by African American workers during a labor shortage occurring amidst World War II, President Roosevelt signed Executive Order 8802 creating the Fair Employment Practices Committee (FEPC). The order banned racial discrimination in any defense industry receiving federal contracts on the grounds that there should be no discrimination in the employment of workers due to race, color or even national origin.

Roosevelt Strengthens the Fair Employment Practices Committee
In 1943, FDR decided to strengthen the FEPC after learning about how some employers were violating the spirit of the new order by hiring African Americans for menial jobs. As a result, he increased the FEPC budget to nearly half a million dollars and replaced the part-time Washington, D.C., staff with a professional full-time staff distributed throughout the country. By war's end, the number of jobs held by African Americans was at an all-time high: African American civilians accounted for eight percent of defense-industry jobs, whereas before the war they only held three percent.

1964 Civil Rights Act: Title VII
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act prohibited employment discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex and national origin. Title VII provisions were to be administered by the Equal Opportunity Employment Commission (EEOC). The goal of this law was to eliminate the gross disparities between whites and minorities, and men and women, in employment, income and types of work.

Americans with Disabilities Act (1990)
Passed by Congress in 1990, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was the nation's first comprehensive civil rights law addressing the needs of people with disabilities, prohibiting discrimination in employment, public services, public accommodations and telecommunications.