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Robert Sengstacke Abbott and the Black Press : Pullman Porters

Robert Sengstacke Abbott, a pioneer of America's black press, was born on St. Simons Island, Georgia. This Research Guide is an introduction to his life and and serves as a starting point for more research on the history of the black press in America.

The Pullman Porters

Photograph of a Pullman Porter in uniform

Pullman Porters worked for railroad companies as porters on sleeping cars from 1868-1968. While they were known for their immaculate appearance and their extra attention to quality service and detail, within the Black community, they also were heroes of the Civil Rights Movement.

Guided by the leadership of A. Phillip Randolph, the Pullman Porters organized the first all-Black union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, in 1925. The porters also played a vital role in the distribution of Black newspapers. Their ability to move about the country, from northern cities and throughout the Jim Crow South, made them the perfect distribution network for information and ideas.

 

Pullman Porter photograph courtesy of the Library of Congress Prints and Photographs.