A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum

Civil Rights Leader and Union

Description

Located in the historic Pullman district of Chicago, this gallery is a tribute to union organizer and civil rights leader A. Philip Randolph and Pullman Rail Car Company porters, all of whom were black. In 1925, Randolph formed the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first African-American union in the country, and though it took some years, was able to collectively bargain for higher wages, overtime pay, and shorter hours. The museum is a historical collection on this era of the struggle for civil rights, and Randolph's place in this history is pivotal. It marries the industrial revolution, the rise of the working class, and the social drama that existed at this time in America and does so in a reflective way. Stop by for your own tour of this history and learn a little bit about this era in history.