No discussion about African Americans and unions would be complete without mentioning the contributions of A. Philip Randolph, the organizer of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters—a union of Black workers on railroad cars—and his efforts to fight racial discrimination in the workplace and for African Americans in general during the 20th century.
“This is the 100th Anniversary of the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters that was led by A. Philip Randolph,” said Marc Morial, president of the National Urban League on February 22. “The porters organized and demanded the right to bargain on behalf of Black railroad workers. They were told they could not join the [larger, white] union, so they formed their own.”
The porters were the first successful Black union in U.S. history, with negotiations with the Pullman Company starting informally in the 1920s, formally in 1935, and ratification in 1937, because of Randolph’s efforts. Fueled by his success with the porters, Randolph proceeded to promote labor and civil rights causes for the next three decades.
The Early Randolph
Randolph was born on April 15, 1889, in Florida and moved to New York City, as a young adult in the early part of the 20th century.
The labor leader’s first experience with unions was in 1917 when he organized a group of elevator operators in New York City.
He joined the porters as its leader in 1925, and after the successful campaign for the Black railroad workers, focused on civil rights.
Randolph and Civil Rights
In 1941, with U.S. participation in World War II brewing, Randolph, along with other Black leaders, wanted the Franklin D. Roosevelt presidential administration to end racial discrimination in defense industries, strike down segregation laws, outlaw lynching and desegregate the Armed Forces. Randolph publicly threatened to hold a march in the District with 50,000 Black participating.
To hold off the march, Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, known as the Fair Employment Act outlawing racial discrimination in defense industries. A few years later, while Randolph didn’t threaten President Harry S. Truman with a march, he helped persuade him to propose a Civil Rights Act and issue Executive Orders 9980 and 9981 in 1948, promoting fair employment and anti-discrimination policies in federal government hiring and ending segregation in the Armed Forces.
Greg Carr is an associate professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University. Carr, 59, said Randolph’s efforts were an example of effective leadership.
“A. Philip Randolph is one of the top leaders produced in the U.S.,” he said. “He made a big difference. He was particularly good at organizing the Black underclass.”
The March on Washington, Randolph’s Legacy
Randolph saw his dream of a March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963 in collaboration with leaders such as NAACP’s Roy Wilkins, Dorothy Height of the National Council of Negro Women and the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. The march has been credited with creating the momentum to pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Randolph died at his apartment in Manhattan, New York on May 16, 1979.
Robert L. Harris Jr., a professor emeritus at Cornell University and a member of the Africana Studies and Research Center, said when he thinks of Randolph, a particular quote comes to mind.
“The main thing that stays with me about Randolph is his saying ‘Freedom is never granted: It is won. Justice is never granted: It is exacted’,” said Harris, 81. “What this means is that you have to constantly struggle for your brethren and the work must be done for that.”