The International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM) and the Transportation Communications Union (TCU/IAM) are marking the 100th anniversary of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP), which was founded on August 25, 1925. The BSCP was the first labor union led by African Americans to affiliate with the American Federation of Labor (AFL).
On that date in 1925, Pullman porters at the Pullman Company sought out A. Philip Randolph, a civil rights leader and labor organizer, to help them form a union advocating for dignity, fair wages, and justice. Despite resistance from the Pullman Company, which attempted to keep workers divided, the porters persisted in their efforts. After a decade-long campaign, the BSCP gained official recognition in 1935.
“The Sleeping Car Porters proved that solidarity can overcome even the most powerful corporate opposition and deep-seated injustice,” said IAM Union International President Brian Bryant. “This anniversary is a celebration of the past and a reminder of the work ahead. Their story continues to inspire the IAM and TCU/IAM as we fight for fairness and dignity for every worker.”
The success of the BSCP extended beyond labor organizing; it played an important role in shaping the modern civil rights movement by encouraging working people to seek equality both at work and in society. The BSCP was not only the first major Black union in America but also received an international charter from the AFL.
“When the BSCP merged with our Union, they brought an extraordinary legacy of courage and resilience,” said TCU/IAM National President Artie Maratea. “That proud history is alive today in the men and women working onboard trains across the country. The Sleeping Car Porters and the legacy of A. Philip Randolph and his belief in organized labor are a celebrated source of pride that TCU/IAM will continue to uphold.”
A 1973 Washington Post interview recounted how A. Philip Randolph responded when asked if he ever felt discouraged during negotiations with Pullman: “I don’t ever remember a single day of hopelessness,” he said. “I knew from the history of the labor movement, and especially of the black people, that it was an undertaking of great trial . . . that, live or die, I had to stick with it and we had to win.”
In 1978, members of the BSCP merged with BRAC (now TCU/IAM), forming what is now known as the Sleeping Car Porters System Division.
“The legacy of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters shows the link between the labor movement and the civil rights movement,” said Josh Hartford, special assistant to the IAM International President. “Their struggle for dignity on the job helped lay the foundation for greater justice in our society, and that fight continues today through the IAM Union Rail Division.”
