POSTER EXHIBIT & PRESENTATIONS
ROSENWALD COMMUNITY CENTER CONTINUING POSTER EXHIBIT
The original posters are on display in the Rosenwald School Trophy room. 731-514-1663.
They were created by and first exhibited at the Paducah Railroad Museum. They are generally exhibited along with presentations and are also exhibited annually for the Railroad Heritage\Banana Festival.
Each exhibited posters is included in the project calendar. Calendars are available by special order.
EMAIL: [email protected]
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Fulton-Kys-African-American-Railroaders/204467249564458?sk=info
BLOG: Http://AAICRRW-FK.blogspot.com/
PHONE: 731.514.1663
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EMAIL: [email protected]
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Fulton-Kys-African-American-Railroaders/204467249564458?sk=info
BLOG: Http://AAICRRW-FK.blogspot.com/
PHONE: 731.514.1663
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PRESENTATIONS
UTM CIVIL RIGHTS CONFERENCE
2/24/10
Thursday afternoon, Feb 24, 2010
Jim Crow Trains, Civil Rights and the Creation of the Black Middle Class
African Americans and the Railroad, 1930-1970
Video and Discussion
University of TN at Martin: Civil Right Conference Thursday Feb.24, 2011 4:00 pm AAICRRW-FK will present a video/discussion session entitled: Jim Crow Trains, Racism and the Creation of the Black Middle Class
Institutional racism and dehumanizing discrimination are as much a part of American railroad history as the intricate design of its wheels and track. Yet in a strange dichotomy, the railroads' role included actions both good and evil in determining the future of black lives. While rigidly enforcing Jim Crow laws, railroads, albeit unintentional, contributed significantly to the success of the civil rights movement. They provided steady employment for African American workers and travel opportunities for their families that might otherwise not have been possible at that time. Offering freedom and stability, this phenomenon, is credited by many as the foundation for the creation of our nation's politically powerful black middle class.
Facilitators: Dr. Linda Bradford Director, Kentucky Oral History Commission Project: African American Railroad Workers of Fulton Kentucky and Retired Railroad Engineer,Pete Algee.
VIDEO: http://webcast.utm.edu/UTMms01/Viewer/?peid=1065506715614fa88d3504698892e1c51d
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|
THE PACER NEWS OF
THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE @MARTIN 2011 CIVIL RIGHTS CONFERENCE Jim Crow Trains, Civil Rights and the Creation of the Black Middle Class. Dr. Linda Holderness Bradford & John "Pete" Algee The Civil Rights Movement was a time when African Americans were tested and tried just because for the color of their skin. |
As it is a very important part of history, UTM hosts the Annual Civil Rights Conference where speakers from all around come and talk about its different aspects. One speaker, Dr. Linda Bradford, the project director for the African American Railroad Workers of Fulton Kentucky Oral History Project. Her speech was called Jim Crow Trains, Civil Rights and the Creation of the Black Middle Class.
The speech targeted how railroads were both harmful and beneficial to the African American people during the Civil Rights movement. When the separate but equal doctrine was in effect, nearly everything public was separated into two categories: whites and colored.
This also applied to railways as they were also segregated as buses were. Even if the whites' car was close to empty and the blacks' car was standing room only, they could not sit in with the whites.
It carried over to the dining car as well. Being a server or cook on the railroad was a common job that was mostly filled by African Americans at the time.
Dr. Bradford said that the name of "George" was given automatically to all the black servers on the dining cart by the upper class whites they served and that it was very demeaning to the person being called "George." According to Dr. Bradford, the cooks on a train had to get up and prepare breakfast at 4 a.m. and then work until the end of dinner after all the other people had been served.
The cooks were not allowed to really sleep at all, but instead catch a nap when they could and not get caught because they could still get fired if they were found sleeping on the job.
However, later on the cooks were finally given mattresses or cots. The only problem was that they had to sleep in the "Possum's belly" which was the cook's floor. After all the people were served, they moved the tables and laid out their cots/mattresses on the floor.
Although there were a lot of bad things that affected blacks, there were also a few benefits. For example, different educations were available to the children of the railroad men. And the living conditions for the families of the railroad workers had a better quality of life than other families who weren't affiliated with the railroads.
Another speaker that accompanied Dr. Bradford was Mr. Pete Algee who was a retired railroad engineer.
His inspirational speech told of how he started on the bottom of the chain and worked his way up in the railroad system until he finally found the position he wanted and finally retired.
The speeches given by both Dr. Bradford and Mr. Algee both encouraged thinking about railroads during the Civil Rights Movement.
VIDEO:
http://webcast.utm.edu/UTMms01/Viewe/?peid=1065506715614fa88d3504698892e1c51d
The speech targeted how railroads were both harmful and beneficial to the African American people during the Civil Rights movement. When the separate but equal doctrine was in effect, nearly everything public was separated into two categories: whites and colored.
This also applied to railways as they were also segregated as buses were. Even if the whites' car was close to empty and the blacks' car was standing room only, they could not sit in with the whites.
It carried over to the dining car as well. Being a server or cook on the railroad was a common job that was mostly filled by African Americans at the time.
Dr. Bradford said that the name of "George" was given automatically to all the black servers on the dining cart by the upper class whites they served and that it was very demeaning to the person being called "George." According to Dr. Bradford, the cooks on a train had to get up and prepare breakfast at 4 a.m. and then work until the end of dinner after all the other people had been served.
The cooks were not allowed to really sleep at all, but instead catch a nap when they could and not get caught because they could still get fired if they were found sleeping on the job.
However, later on the cooks were finally given mattresses or cots. The only problem was that they had to sleep in the "Possum's belly" which was the cook's floor. After all the people were served, they moved the tables and laid out their cots/mattresses on the floor.
Although there were a lot of bad things that affected blacks, there were also a few benefits. For example, different educations were available to the children of the railroad men. And the living conditions for the families of the railroad workers had a better quality of life than other families who weren't affiliated with the railroads.
Another speaker that accompanied Dr. Bradford was Mr. Pete Algee who was a retired railroad engineer.
His inspirational speech told of how he started on the bottom of the chain and worked his way up in the railroad system until he finally found the position he wanted and finally retired.
The speeches given by both Dr. Bradford and Mr. Algee both encouraged thinking about railroads during the Civil Rights Movement.
VIDEO:
http://webcast.utm.edu/UTMms01/Viewe/?peid=1065506715614fa88d3504698892e1c51d
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RAILROAD HERITAGE DAYS FESTIVAL EXHIBITS
Sept 17-18, 2010
Pete Algee will make the exhibit posters available at two Fulton banks during the Sept 17-18, 2010 Railroad Heritage days. Project calendar will be available on the fairway at the Festivval and for continuing sales at the Twin Cities Railroad Museum, Noffel's Department Store and by calling the number below. For DVDs of the May 28th, 2010 presentation ($15.00), please call the project at 731-514-1663.
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Paducah Railroad Museum Poster Exhibit.
August 7th, 2011
Here are some of the posters from the August 7th Paducah Railroad Museum Exhibit. It went well. We were invited as part of the city's 8th of August Emancipation Celebration. Attendance was light but the museum will continue the exhibit throughout the month of August and school groups have been invited.
For the exhibit, the Paducah Museum transformed our homemade posters into museum quality exhibits. We are most grateful for their gift and will bring them home at the end of the month. Pete Algee will then make them available at two Fulton banks for display during the Sept 17-18 Railroad Heritage days festival.
The original posters are displayed in the Rosenwald School Trophy room.
Each of the exhibited posters is included in the project calendar.
731-514-1663
For the exhibit, the Paducah Museum transformed our homemade posters into museum quality exhibits. We are most grateful for their gift and will bring them home at the end of the month. Pete Algee will then make them available at two Fulton banks for display during the Sept 17-18 Railroad Heritage days festival.
The original posters are displayed in the Rosenwald School Trophy room.
Each of the exhibited posters is included in the project calendar.
731-514-1663
_____________________________________
TCRR MUSEUM ~KEN-TENN HOMECOMING CELEBRATION
May 28, 2010
Oral History Project Presentation.
The African American ICRR Workers- Fulton KY
Fulton KY/So Fulton, TN FRIDAY May 28, 2010, 6:30 PM
TWIN CITIES RAILROAD MUSEUM Ken-Tenn Homecoming Presentation.
- Interview Results Review and Conclusions for Ken Tenn Homecoming Reunion week.
The program was held at the Twin cities Railroad Museum and was very successful. It was scheduled to coincide with the city's Ken - Tenn Homecoming Celebration and we were therefore privileged to have many out of towners in attendance...and especially honored to have many with families among the project's honorees. Final attendance was about 45 and the feedback was very complimentary.
Photos by Jerry Rucker, project coordinator
Oral History Project Presentation.
The African American ICRR Workers- Fulton KY
Fulton KY/So Fulton, TN FRIDAY May 28, 2010, 6:30 PM
TWIN CITIES RAILROAD MUSEUM Ken-Tenn Homecoming Presentation.
- Interview Results Review and Conclusions for Ken Tenn Homecoming Reunion week.
The program was held at the Twin cities Railroad Museum and was very successful. It was scheduled to coincide with the city's Ken - Tenn Homecoming Celebration and we were therefore privileged to have many out of towners in attendance...and especially honored to have many with families among the project's honorees. Final attendance was about 45 and the feedback was very complimentary.
Photos by Jerry Rucker, project coordinator
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Genealogical Society
March 9, 2010
African American Illinois Central Workers of the Historic Fulton KY Railroad Station Kentucky Oral History Society Paducah Railroad Museum Project Overview Rescheduled to Tuesday March 9, 2010 7:00 - 7:30 PM McCraken Public Library 555 Washington St, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 442-2510
African American Illinois Central Workers of the Historic Fulton KY Railroad Station Kentucky Oral History Society Paducah Railroad Museum Project Overview Rescheduled to Tuesday March 9, 2010 7:00 - 7:30 PM McCraken Public Library 555 Washington St, Paducah, KY 42003 (270) 442-2510