Word for the day: “A special Labor Day message.”
IF YOU’RE A WORD CUP SUBSCRIBER, YOU MIGHT SEE AMERICAN HISTORY IN A DIVERSE MANNER, AND EMBRACE SOME DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVES.
Just like a book might be a little more special to an author and writer. That’s because there’s nothing more personal than our work @ Grace and Truth Leadership Org. Especially with today being Labor Day, we wanted you to know how special it is to work for Great people like you. Since 2012, it’s been our pleasure to serve each of you, and with the diversity of subscribers, we reach on a daily basis.
May the Lord bless you this Labor Day and thank you for your continued partnership.
BLACK HISTORY AND LABOR DAY:
Labor Day activates a variety of emotions. For students, it means the sad end of summer vacation with the exciting beginning of a new school year. For workers, it means a much-appreciated day off. Whatever the first Monday in September means to you, the holiday offers a valuable opportunity to consider the contributions of Black workers to American history.
Labor unions were the driving force behind the origins of Labor Day. In 1882, the first “workingman’s holiday” was celebrated in New York City when the Central Labor Union organized a day off of work. Over the next 10 years, the idea spread to include several states throughout the nation, with the creation of legislation to recognize the day as a holiday. During this time in history, the Pullman Palace Car Service was in full swing, offering railroad passengers a luxurious travel experience.
African-American men were hired as porters to serve customers' needs. Pullman porters endured poor working conditions, making less money and working significantly more hours than their white counterparts, who were allowed to work as conductors. While Black workers expressed real concerns over their circumstances, they were not allowed to join the railroad labor union. As such, it was the white workers who first organized and formally walked off of their jobs.
The Pullman Palace strike hit a national nerve as it spread across the country, resulting in violence and the deployment of federal troops. The concerns of African American workers were not included in the list of demands, and they were often encouraged to break the picket line, to work in place of the white workers. The strike was officially declared over on August 3, 1894, right before a national presidential election.
While the white workers returned to the railroad jobs under better conditions, Black workers experienced no improvements. With the conflict of the strike hanging heavily in the air, President Grover Cleveland made one last attempt to appease American workers, by quickly signing the observation of Labor Day into federal law. Recognizing the effectiveness of organized labor, Black porters began preliminary steps to form their own labor union.
Their early efforts were sabotaged by management spies, who were strategically placed throughout company locations to recognize and stop any plans for worker resistance. It took more than 25 years before they successfully formed a labor union. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) was established in 1925 and led by a young Civil Rights pioneer named Asa Philip Randolph.
Over the next ten years, the BSCP fought for recognition by the American Federation of Labor and improved working conditions for porters. The BSCP exemplifies the importance of organized labor in the nation’s history. As the country gears up to celebrate American workers, the contribution of African-American laborers is a significant part of America's history.
Quote: A. Philip Randolph "Freedom is never given, it is won.”
Chief Encouragement Officer (CEO) James Baker, Jr. and our leadership team are especially thankful for those of you who provided financial donations and support in August 2024, by partnering with us in efforts to advance the kingdom of God in this 21st century season: Special thanks to Mr. and Mrs. David and Annette Straker, Mr. Kenneth Washington, Ms. Itholear Abbott, Mrs. Barbara Mason, Ms. Jeanette Grant, Ms. Michelle Winder Branch, Ms. Brenda Spoach, Ms. Angie Scraders-Murphy, Mr. Calvin Jackson, Mr. William Jones, Mr. William Buchanan, Mr. William Wilson, Mrs. Angela Harrison, Ms. Rita McGuffin and Ms. Gertrude Scott.
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Kingdom Blessings,