No solution to the crisis of American race relations is viable without taking into account labor matters. Labor Matters--African American Labor Crisis, 1861-2010 presents a sobering historical analysis of race and employment relations in the United States through thirteen unique essays-- including scholarly articles, speeches, a biographical essay, and law review notes. In this book, we learn that American labor and employment laws were, from 1861 to about 1940, intentionally designed to preserve the effects of American slavery on African American workers; that these laws were revamped after World War II in response to the Civil Rights Movements of the 1940s, 50s and 60s; but since the 1970s, these laws have been misapplied to the detriment of the African American community. The reasons covered are multifaceted; the problems dealt with are spiritual and cultural; and the underlying solutions appear to be fundamentally economic. Attorney Roderick O. Ford has completed a masterful work.