Cook argues that work conditions began to change for the better following the election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt in 1932. Cook describes his support of Roosevelt and goes onto discuss the unionization of workers, specifically African American workers, shortly thereafter. According to Cook, employers tried to discourage and intimidate African American workers from supporting the union; however, the union eventually won enough support among the workers and the color line within the union eventually faded, resulting in improved conditions for African American workers.