West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown,
WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Language
English
Abstract
Papers of Asa Philip Randolph, a prominent civil rights and labor leader, who founded and edited The Messenger , an influential black radical labor newspaper of the 1920s and who organized and presided over the Brotherhood of Sleeping
Car Porters, the only independent, viable black trade union in the American labor movement. Much of the correspondence deals
with raising subscriptions for The Messenger , gaining an International Charter as an independent affiliate to the American Federation of Labor and the early organizing
strike actions against the Pullman Company. This correspondence emphasizes the difficulties of convincing black workers of
the feasibility of an independent fledgling black trade union; the necessity of organizing black workers for the benefit of
the whole labor movement; and the challenge of maintaining jurisdictional independence from competing trade unions with predominantly
white membership, such as the Hotel Workers union. These letters also reflect Randolph's desire to attain full civil rights
for blacks.
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Conditions Governing Access
No special access restriction applies.
Preferred Citation
[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], A. Philip Randolph, Civil Rights and Labor Leader, Papers, A&M 1530,
West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.
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