SUGGESTED AFRICAN AMERICAN RAILROAD (& other) READINGS RECOMMENDED READINGS, FILM & SHORT VIDEO
1
A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter
by Pat McKissack, Fredrick McKissack – 1989 –juvenile book
2
An Anthology Of Respect: The Pullman Porters National Historic Registry Of African American Railroad Employees by Lyn Hughes
3
4
Brotherhoods of Color, by Eric Arnesen, covers many unions involved with black railroaders, including several for dining car crews, a recent book.
5
Heart & Soul of the Train Mauris L. Emeka (Author)
Product Description This is the author's second book about train travel. His first book, titled AMTRAKing, was published in 1994. An Amtrak train attendant for nearly nine years, Mr. Emeka writes in a uniquely sensitive way about his experiences on-board the train, the people he met, and thoughtful musings that visited his mind while on the rails. Heart & Soul of the Train has numerous photos and illustrations, and the author often goes beyond fond memories and enters into the hearts of those he met along the way. The book concludes with a timely and helpful section that deals with how to travel by train. Those less familiar with this mode of travel will especially appreciate the answers provided here in response to commonly-asked questions about train travel. Last but not least, Mr. Emeka, a retired Army officer, has a simple and accessible writing style that makes this book an easy and enjoyable read. About the Author The author worked on-board Amtrak's western trains from 1989 to 1998. He wrote the book AMTRAKing in 1994, and has followed it with the 1999 publishing of Heart & Soul of the Train. A retired Army officer, he is married and lives with his family on the Olympic peninsula near Port Orchard, Washington.
Marching Together, Women of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, by Melinda Chateauvert, another part of the story
6
Miles of Smiles," by a labor historian from the University of Chicago. This contained interviews with Pullman porters, and you might get the use of some the quotes. As I recall, the editor's commentary in this book was kind of tendentious, but the quotes from the porters were very powerful. Miles of Smiles, Years of Struggle: Stories of Black Pullman Porters, by Jack Santino. Published by University of Illinois Press in 1989.
7
Nat Love, The Life and Adventures of Nat Love Better Known in the Cattle Country as "Deadwood Dick" by Himself; a True History of Slavery Days, Life on the Great Cattle Ranges and on the Plains of the "Wild and Woolly" West, Based on Facts, and Personal Experiences of the Author, Los Angeles, 1907. few download of entire book
Available onlinehttp://docsouth.unc.edu/neh/natlove/natlove.html See especially the following chapter CHAPTER XVIII. The Pullman Service; Life on the Rail; My First Trip; a Slump in Tips; I Become Disgusted and Quit; a Period of Husking; My Next Trip on the Pullman; Tips and the People Who Give Them . . . . . 13
8
Pullman Porters and the Rise of Protest Politics in Black America, 1925-1945.” (The John Hope Franklin Series in African American History and Culture) Tompkins Bates, Beth. “
9 Railroad: Trains and Train People in American Culture by James Alan and Miller Williams McPherson (Hardcover - 1976)
Railroads in the African American Experience: A Photographic Journey by Theodore Kornweibel Jr. (January 2010) A series of photographs and richly detailed stand-alone essays on different jobs and facets of the railroad industry and African American life. a series of richly detailed stand-alone essays on different jobs and facets of the railroad industry and African American life.
10
Rising from the Rails: Pullman Porters and the Making of the Black Middle Class by Larry Tye Excerpt - page 2: "... plush velvet-appointed night coaches over the first half century of Pullman Palace Car service summoned him with a simple "porter.
11
Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry: the Untold Story of an American Legend by Scott Reynolds Nelson
12
“Travel by Pullman: A Century of Service.” Welsh, Joe.
13
Those Pullman Blues: An Oral History of the African American
Railroad Attendant. Perata, David D. Lanham, Maryland: Madison Books, 1996It has great oral history with the inside view of working in the Pullman and dining cars. Copies are readily available onwww.abebooks.com.
Video
The Road Taken 52 minshttp://www.nfb.ca/film/road_taken/
Of special regional interest as Fulton’s former Illinois Central trains (ICRR) are now Canadian National (CN).
Directed by Selwyn Jacob and written and narrated by Frederick Ward, the film explores how racism prevented Blacks in Canada from being promoted, until porter Lee Williams took his fight to the union in 1955 and successfully claimed discrimination under Canada's Fair Employment Act.
Film
“A. Philip Randolph: For Jobs and Freedom” directed by Dante James (available
from California Newsreel)
Holtzberg, Maggie. “The Gandy Dancer Speaks: Voices from Southern Black Railroad Gangs” in American Musical Traditions: Volume 2: African American Music. Edited by Jeff Todd Titon and Bob Carlin, pp.24-29. New York: Schirmer Reference, 2002. Originally published in Alabama Folklife: Collected Essays, Edited by Stephen H. Martin, Birmingham: Alabama Folklife Association, 1989.
“Miles of Smiles, Years of Struggle” by Paul Wagner and Jack Santino (available from California Newsreel)
“Pullman Porters: From Servitude to Civil Rights” produced by Lucy Kinsella
Rising From the Rails: The Story of the Pullman Porter ~ Allison Payne (DVD - Jun 15, 2006)
“10,000 Black Men Named George” directed by Robert Townsend
ICRR Books
ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLOR PICTORIAL: Volume 1 - Passenger Service By Clifford J. Downey. See IC's colorful orange and chocolate brown E-units in operation on famous name trains. See Geeps assigned to the Hawkeye, the Seminole, the Governor's Special, and the Land O' Corn. Included are ads, system maps, timetables, heavy and lightweight passenger car photos and more between the 1940s and May 1971. 128 pages, 250 color photos, hardbound. $59.95
ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLOR PICTORIAL: Volume 2 - Cairo, Illinois, to New Orleans, Louisiana By Clifford J. Downey. This book covers the Illinois Central line between Cairo and New Orleans, and also includes chapters on all-weather railroading, cab units, cabooses and IC locomotives.128 pages, all-color photos, hardbound. $59.95
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROADBy Tom Murray. Even casual observers of railroad history are familiar with the legend of Illinois Central engineer Casey Jones' ride to glory, and have likely heard of that railroad's most famous passenger train, City of New Orleans. From the IC's early years, when it garnered support from a young Illinois attorney named Abraham Lincoln, right through to its 1999 acquisition by Canadian National, the author recounts IC's motive power and rolling stock, the roles of major players in the railroad's development, its acclaimed passenger and freight operations, and its routes throughout the Midwest and the South.160 pages, black and white and color photos, hardbound. $34.95
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD 1854 TO 1960 PHOTO ARCHIVE By Kim D. Tschudy. Epitomized in song and story, the Illinois Central was arguably the most interesting and colorful railroad in America. Begun in 1851, the IC was the first land grant railroad in the United States. While other railroads ran east and west, the IC ran north and south, so when the Civil War began the IC was able to haul 30% more of all war material, supplies and troops to the battlegrounds of the south. This book of IC locomotives and depots dating from 1854 to 1960 gives the reader an intimate look at the railroad that called itself the Mainline of Mid-America. 128 pages, 144 black and white photos, softbound. $29.95
ILLINOIS TERMINAL: The Road of Personalized ServiceBy Dale Jenkins. A complete history of the Illinois Terminal Railway, from the very beginning through the very end - including the diesel years. With complete coverage up through merger with the N&W.328 pages, 132-page color section, black and white photos, maps, appendix, roster, hardbound. $69.95
ILLINOIS TERMINAL IN COLOR: Volume 1 By Gordon E. Lloyd. The personal photography of a noted traction authority takes the reader on a tour of the IT from 1952 up to the N&W takeover. 128 pages, color photos, hardcover. $49.95
ILLINOIS TERMINAL IN COLOR: Volume 2By William D. Volkmer. Through the camera lens of master traction photographer Eugene Van Dusen, the reader is taken across the Illinois Terminal System in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Both freight and passenger operations are viewed. 128 pages, color photos, hardcover. $54.95
Reference as:
Bradford, Linda, (2010) African American Workers of Fulton KY (KY Oral History Commission), self-published, Fulton KY
1
A Long Hard Journey: The Story of the Pullman Porter
by Pat McKissack, Fredrick McKissack – 1989 –juvenile book
2
An Anthology Of Respect: The Pullman Porters National Historic Registry Of African American Railroad Employees by Lyn Hughes
3
- The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters: Its Origin and Development By Brailsford Reese Brazeal- 1946 - the best overall history still
4
Brotherhoods of Color, by Eric Arnesen, covers many unions involved with black railroaders, including several for dining car crews, a recent book.
5
Heart & Soul of the Train Mauris L. Emeka (Author)
Product Description This is the author's second book about train travel. His first book, titled AMTRAKing, was published in 1994. An Amtrak train attendant for nearly nine years, Mr. Emeka writes in a uniquely sensitive way about his experiences on-board the train, the people he met, and thoughtful musings that visited his mind while on the rails. Heart & Soul of the Train has numerous photos and illustrations, and the author often goes beyond fond memories and enters into the hearts of those he met along the way. The book concludes with a timely and helpful section that deals with how to travel by train. Those less familiar with this mode of travel will especially appreciate the answers provided here in response to commonly-asked questions about train travel. Last but not least, Mr. Emeka, a retired Army officer, has a simple and accessible writing style that makes this book an easy and enjoyable read. About the Author The author worked on-board Amtrak's western trains from 1989 to 1998. He wrote the book AMTRAKing in 1994, and has followed it with the 1999 publishing of Heart & Soul of the Train. A retired Army officer, he is married and lives with his family on the Olympic peninsula near Port Orchard, Washington.
Marching Together, Women of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, by Melinda Chateauvert, another part of the story
6
Miles of Smiles," by a labor historian from the University of Chicago. This contained interviews with Pullman porters, and you might get the use of some the quotes. As I recall, the editor's commentary in this book was kind of tendentious, but the quotes from the porters were very powerful. Miles of Smiles, Years of Struggle: Stories of Black Pullman Porters, by Jack Santino. Published by University of Illinois Press in 1989.
7
Nat Love, The Life and Adventures of Nat Love Better Known in the Cattle Country as "Deadwood Dick" by Himself; a True History of Slavery Days, Life on the Great Cattle Ranges and on the Plains of the "Wild and Woolly" West, Based on Facts, and Personal Experiences of the Author, Los Angeles, 1907. few download of entire book
Available online
8
Pullman Porters and the Rise of Protest Politics in Black America, 1925-1945.” (The John Hope Franklin Series in African American History and Culture) Tompkins Bates, Beth. “
9 Railroad: Trains and Train People in American Culture by James Alan and Miller Williams McPherson (Hardcover - 1976)
Railroads in the African American Experience: A Photographic Journey by Theodore Kornweibel Jr. (January 2010) A series of photographs and richly detailed stand-alone essays on different jobs and facets of the railroad industry and African American life. a series of richly detailed stand-alone essays on different jobs and facets of the railroad industry and African American life.
10
Rising from the Rails: Pullman Porters and the Making of the Black Middle Class by Larry Tye Excerpt - page 2: "... plush velvet-appointed night coaches over the first half century of Pullman Palace Car service summoned him with a simple "porter.
11
Steel Drivin' Man: John Henry: the Untold Story of an American Legend by Scott Reynolds Nelson
12
“Travel by Pullman: A Century of Service.” Welsh, Joe.
13
Those Pullman Blues: An Oral History of the African American
Railroad Attendant. Perata, David D. Lanham, Maryland: Madison Books, 1996It has great oral history with the inside view of working in the Pullman and dining cars. Copies are readily available on
Video
The Road Taken 52 mins
Of special regional interest as Fulton’s former Illinois Central trains (ICRR) are now Canadian National (CN).
Directed by Selwyn Jacob and written and narrated by Frederick Ward, the film explores how racism prevented Blacks in Canada from being promoted, until porter Lee Williams took his fight to the union in 1955 and successfully claimed discrimination under Canada's Fair Employment Act.
Film
“A. Philip Randolph: For Jobs and Freedom” directed by Dante James (available
from California Newsreel)
Holtzberg, Maggie. “The Gandy Dancer Speaks: Voices from Southern Black Railroad Gangs” in American Musical Traditions: Volume 2: African American Music. Edited by Jeff Todd Titon and Bob Carlin, pp.24-29. New York: Schirmer Reference, 2002. Originally published in Alabama Folklife: Collected Essays, Edited by Stephen H. Martin, Birmingham: Alabama Folklife Association, 1989.
“Miles of Smiles, Years of Struggle” by Paul Wagner and Jack Santino (available from California Newsreel)
“Pullman Porters: From Servitude to Civil Rights” produced by Lucy Kinsella
Rising From the Rails: The Story of the Pullman Porter ~ Allison Payne (DVD - Jun 15, 2006)
“10,000 Black Men Named George” directed by Robert Townsend
ICRR Books
ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLOR PICTORIAL: Volume 1 - Passenger Service By Clifford J. Downey. See IC's colorful orange and chocolate brown E-units in operation on famous name trains. See Geeps assigned to the Hawkeye, the Seminole, the Governor's Special, and the Land O' Corn. Included are ads, system maps, timetables, heavy and lightweight passenger car photos and more between the 1940s and May 1971. 128 pages, 250 color photos, hardbound. $59.95
ILLINOIS CENTRAL COLOR PICTORIAL: Volume 2 - Cairo, Illinois, to New Orleans, Louisiana By Clifford J. Downey. This book covers the Illinois Central line between Cairo and New Orleans, and also includes chapters on all-weather railroading, cab units, cabooses and IC locomotives.128 pages, all-color photos, hardbound. $59.95
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROADBy Tom Murray. Even casual observers of railroad history are familiar with the legend of Illinois Central engineer Casey Jones' ride to glory, and have likely heard of that railroad's most famous passenger train, City of New Orleans. From the IC's early years, when it garnered support from a young Illinois attorney named Abraham Lincoln, right through to its 1999 acquisition by Canadian National, the author recounts IC's motive power and rolling stock, the roles of major players in the railroad's development, its acclaimed passenger and freight operations, and its routes throughout the Midwest and the South.160 pages, black and white and color photos, hardbound. $34.95
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD 1854 TO 1960 PHOTO ARCHIVE By Kim D. Tschudy. Epitomized in song and story, the Illinois Central was arguably the most interesting and colorful railroad in America. Begun in 1851, the IC was the first land grant railroad in the United States. While other railroads ran east and west, the IC ran north and south, so when the Civil War began the IC was able to haul 30% more of all war material, supplies and troops to the battlegrounds of the south. This book of IC locomotives and depots dating from 1854 to 1960 gives the reader an intimate look at the railroad that called itself the Mainline of Mid-America. 128 pages, 144 black and white photos, softbound. $29.95
ILLINOIS TERMINAL: The Road of Personalized ServiceBy Dale Jenkins. A complete history of the Illinois Terminal Railway, from the very beginning through the very end - including the diesel years. With complete coverage up through merger with the N&W.328 pages, 132-page color section, black and white photos, maps, appendix, roster, hardbound. $69.95
ILLINOIS TERMINAL IN COLOR: Volume 1 By Gordon E. Lloyd. The personal photography of a noted traction authority takes the reader on a tour of the IT from 1952 up to the N&W takeover. 128 pages, color photos, hardcover. $49.95
ILLINOIS TERMINAL IN COLOR: Volume 2By William D. Volkmer. Through the camera lens of master traction photographer Eugene Van Dusen, the reader is taken across the Illinois Terminal System in the late 1940s and early 1950s. Both freight and passenger operations are viewed. 128 pages, color photos, hardcover. $54.95
Reference as:
Bradford, Linda, (2010) African American Workers of Fulton KY (KY Oral History Commission), self-published, Fulton KY