Just as There Were Pullman Porters, Pullman Maids Existed, Too
George Pullman of the Pullman Company invented the overnight sleeping train car in the 1800s. He employed Black men as porters and also hired Black women as maids. Both porters and maids served white clients. Maids focused on white women’s needs and white women with children in particular.
Poor Working Conditions and Salaries Led to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Porters worked long hours with small salaries and no job security. Most of their income came from tips, and they had to pay for their uniforms, lodging and food. Advocate A. Philip Randolph founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925 to combat this. In 1937, union rights to organize were legalized and Pullman reached a labor agreement with the BSCP.
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