Description
Frustrated by the lack of job opportunities for African Americans in defense industries and by racial segregation in the military, labor leader and civil rights advocate A. Philip Randolph wrote to New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia asking for his support. In his letter, Randolph, director of the first predominately African-American labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, also proposed a march on Washington. Randolph dropped the idea after President Franklin Delano Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802, setting up the Committee on Fair Employment Practice. Later, Randolph would become a leader of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
Transcript of A. Philip Randolph's Letter to Fiorello La Guardia
Source-Dependent Questions
- On the second page of the letter, A. Philip Randolph states that the individuals he represented wanted "... to share in the benefits and responsibilities and duties and sacrifices ..." How did this characterization help frame the argument for "just" working conditions beyond just pointing out discriminatory actions?
- Why did Randolph send a letter to the mayor of New York outlining his plans to protest?
Citation Information
Randolph, A. Philip, "Letter from A. Philip Randolph, International President of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters to Fiorello La Guardia, Mayor of New York City," 5 June 1941. Courtesy of National Archives