A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum to Salute First Black Labor Union: The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and its Leaders During Fundraising Reception

The A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum will pay tribute to the Black labor movement in America, the legacy of A. Philip Randolph, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and Chicago’s labor union giants during a fundraising celebration to be held on August 25 at the Museum, 10406 S. Maryland from 5-9PM. Themed: “Honoring the Brotherhood,” tickets are $50. Proceeds go toward continuing the Museum’s mission to educate the public about the legacy of A. Philip Randolph and the contributions made by African-Americans to America’s labor movement.

The fundraising reception, which will be attended by numerous descendants of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, culminates two days of festivities that will begin Saturday August 24, with a series of lectures, fun activities and a forum where the public can learn about the origin of the 1963 March on Washington and African-American heroes in the labor movement.   That event on Saturday is free of charge and takes place from 1-5 PM.

David A. Peterson Jr., president of the Museum, announced that the weekend supports the Museum’s mission to broadcast the heroics and history of the black labor movement and its pioneers. He stressed that the black labor movement in America has impacted the American landscape and leaders fought for jobs, equal pay and workers’ rights when there was no one to advocate and the voice of the black worker.  He particularly singled out A. Philip Randolph for his historic role in igniting the Black labor movement when he founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP).

In recounting the history, Peterson said that during the heyday of railroad travel, the Pullman Porters provided service and attended to the needs of the passengers. In the beginning, the Pullman Company hired only African American men for the job of porter. The excellent service they provided was integral and indispensable to the rise and success of the railroad industry. Despite the role they played in the success and profits of the industry, they were not accorded the rights comparable to their contributions to the industry. So, on August 25, 1925, these men made history when 500 Porters met secretly in a Harlem lodge to listen to A. Philip Randolph’s plan to unite porters.  The historic event launched the formation of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), the first black-controlled union to be admitted into the AFL as a full member. It was also the first black union to negotiate a collective bargaining agreement with a major U.S corporation.

Dr. Lyn Hughes, founder of the Museum, characterized the events leading up to this historic agreement as a lesson in leadership, perseverance, unity and organization among Black men.  “It is a triumphant story of solidarity among the African American Railroad employees,” she declared.

The Museum chronicles the historic journey of the (BSCP), through artifacts, exhibits and through a myriad of other visual and audio collections.  It, particularly, memorializes the legacy of A. Philip Randolph and his trailblazing leadership. While the historic March is hailed as a pivotal point in civil rights history, what is little known is that the March was spawned by A. Philip Randolph who founded The March on Washington Movement (MOWM) in 1941, along with Bayard Rustin.

According to Museum archives, the MOWM was formed to organize a mass march on Washington to pressure the U.S. government to desegregate the armed forces and provide fair working opportunities for African Americans.  With the threat of thousands descending on Washington to protest the government’s failures in these areas, President Franklin D. Roosevelt  issued Executive Order 8802..

The Museum will also use the occasion to honor the memory of union icons whose courage and resolve have created better working conditions, equal pay and equitable treatment for African Americans.  The late union legends Charles Hayes of the Coalition of Black Trade Unionists, who was also elected to Congress; and Jackie Vaughn of the Chicago Teachers Union will be saluted along with living legend Karen Lewis, president of the Chicago Teachers Union, and other Black labor champions.

“It is fitting to honor labor today particularly in the current climate when labor is under attack nationwide,” declared Hughes.  “As leaders of a cultural institution devoted to keeping the union story alive, it is appropriate that the A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum take the lead in honoring those African Americans who were trailblazers as well as those who are still fighting in the American labor movement today. The event on August 25 allows the public to support this mission.”

For more information about the events and about the Museum, visit the website at www.aprpullmanportermuseum.org.