Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a common malignant tumor. Although the abnormal expression and potential clinical prognostic value of histone deacetylase 1 (HDAC1) were recently discovered in many kinds of cancer, the roles and molecular mechanisms of HDAC1 in NSCLC is still limited. The CCK-8 assay is used to evaluate the viability of NSCLC cells. Downregulation of HDAC1 by shRNA. The TUNEL assay was used to evaluate the role of HDAC1 in NSCLC apoptosis. To evaluate the role of HDAC1 in NSCLC cells migration, the Boyden chamber transwell assay and wound healing assay were used. To evaluate the cells invasion, the matrigel precoated Transwell assay was used. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) were used to detect the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and IL-8 in NSCLC. To investigate the role of HDAC1 in angiogenesis, the tube formation assay was investigated. In this study, we showed that HDAC1 expression was elevated in NSCLC lines compared to that in normal liver cells LO2. Furthermore, downregulation of HDAC1 inhibited cell proliferation, prevented cell migration, decreased cell invasion, reduced tumor angiogenesis and induced cell apoptosis. In summary, HDAC1 may be regarded as a potential indicator for NSCLC patient treatment.