1966

In January 1966, EEOC opens its first field office in Dallas, Texas. By year's end, the office is relocated to Austin, Texas. Three other field offices open this year -- Atlanta, Chicago and Cleveland.

In its first full year of operations, EEOC obtains conciliation agreements with 111 employers, most of them located in the deep south. Many of these conciliation agreements focus on desegregating employer facilities, most notably restrooms, washrooms, shower and locker rooms and cafeterias. The agency holds that the removal of "white" and "colored" signs may not always be sufficient to eliminate the vestiges of segregation. To achieve desegregation, employers also may have to eliminate separate toilet facilities for whites and blacks, remove unnecessary walls and generally remodel facilities.

"We are proud of our part in working out this agreement. It represents, in our view, an effective and responsible effort by the company and the Commission to further achieve genuine equality of opportunity for Negroes in our yard."

Donald A. Holden, President
Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company

The most far reaching of the conciliation agreements involves Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. The Newport News agreement provides class relief for approximately 5,000 black workers. The agreement provides that black workers performing the same jobs as white workers are to be given equal pay for their labor. The agreement also provides that 3,200 black workers be promoted and that all blacks be given an equal opportunity to participate in apprenticeship programs, compete for supervisory and craft jobs and that the company desegregate its facilities.

More individuals in North Carolina file charges with EEOC than in any other state requiring the agency to assign 17 investigators to that state alone. In North Carolina and nationally, the most frequently alleged charge involves allegation of race (Black) discrimination in hiring.

EEOC requires employers with at least 100 employees or government contractors with 50 employees to fill out the EEO-1 Private Sector Report annually. This report is a snapshot of how many racial and ethnic minorities and women are working in a company. The report profiles 25 million employees as well as 45,000 employers or approximately 50 percent of the country's private payroll workers.

An EEOC study shows that some employers' ability and aptitude tests and other selection devices for hiring and promotion are being used to maintain pre-Act patterns of racial exclusion and discrimination. To encourage employers to establish objective standards, EEOC issues its first Guidelines on Employment Testing Procedures. EEOC takes the position that Title VII prohibits not only intentional discrimination, but also neutral employment practices if they exclude a disproportionate number of minorities and employers cannot justify the neutral policy as job related and consistent with business necessity. The Supreme Court later accepts this position in the 1971 case Griggs v. Duke Power Co.

In June, EEOC issues its first Guidelines on Discrimination Because of Religion.

President Lyndon B. Johnson appoints Luther Holcomb as the first Acting Chairman of the Commission. He would serve as Acting Chairman on three occasions during his tenure (1966-1973) as an EEOC Commissioner.

Chairman Stephen N. Shulman

President Lyndon B. Johnson nominates Stephen N. Shulman to be Chairman of EEOC. The Senate confirms Shulman within two weeks. When nominated, Shulman is the General Counsel of the U.S. Air Force.

Next: 1967