The Actors' Equity Association is an American labor union that represents theater artists and stage managers. Although founded in 1913 it was not officially recognized as a labor union until it joined the America Federation of Labor in 1919 and undertook a successful strike. In 1955 it merged with the Chorus Equity Association.

Actors' Equity has a strong record of supporting its members impartially and without bias. The organization opposed segregation as early as the 1940s, and in the 1950s (unlike its sister organization the Screen Actors' Guild) Actors' Equity refused to participate in the McCarthy era blacklisting of stage and screen stars accused of "un-American activities." It assisted the founding of the National Endowment for the Arts (1960s), fought to preserve historic Broadway theatres (1970s), and has taken a central role in raising public awareness of HIV/AIDS.