African American Railroad Workers

African American porters stand in front of a Pullman Company sleeping car.

Prior to the Civil War, nearly every railroad in the American South was built using enslaved labor. During the Civil War (1861–1865), the U.S. Military Railroads employed thousands of African Americans in strategically important work, helping move troops and supplies and supporting the Union war effort.

Historians have found evidence that African American workers contributed to the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad, although relatively few records survive documenting their individual contributions. After the railroad's completion, African Americans worked in a variety of railroad occupations, including firemen, porters, dining car attendants, and other service and operating positions. Their opportunities were often limited by racial discrimination and segregation.

One notable example was the Pullman Company, which became one of the nation's largest employers of African Americans. Pullman porters, who were African American men, became an important presence on America's railroads. At one point, porters comprised approximately 44% of the Pullman rail car operation workforce.

In 1925, Pullman porters organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters under the leadership of A. Philip Randolph. The organization became the first predominantly African American labor union to receive a charter from the American Federation of Labor. After a twelve-year struggle, the Brotherhood secured a collective bargaining agreement with the Pullman Company in 1937. Its leaders and members also became important figures in the broader struggle for civil rights, labor rights, and racial equality.

Beyond the railroad, African Americans played significant roles in the development of the American West. They built communities, established businesses, worked in agriculture and industry, served in the military, and helped shape the social and economic history of the West.

Golden Spike National Historical Park is proud to recognize the contributions of African Americans to the railroad and the American West. Telling the story of the Transcontinental Railroad means telling the stories of the many people who built it—and recognizing the diverse communities whose labor, determination, and experiences helped shape the American West and our nation.