(AAAA)
The 4A's, as the Associated Actors and Artistes of America became known, was chartered by the American Federation of Labor in 1919 to resolve counterproductive conflicts between two existing organizations, the White Rats Actors Union of America, founded in 1909 to serve variety performers, and Actors' Equity Association, founded in 1913, to represent actors on the legitimate stage. The merger of the two organizations within Actors' Equity (terminating the White Rats) led the 4A's to focus on the mutual interests of all performance-related organizations in negotiations with management and supported Actors' Equity in its strike in 1919.
The Historical Dictionary of the American Theater. James Fisher.