My grandfather, John Jones was born in Gonzales, Texas in September 1888. He grew up in this small town and went to the local primary school there. At the age of sixteen and after taking a young girl, Minnie Weathers for his wife, he moved to the then cattle Empire of Fort Worth, Texas.
For more than forty years was my grandfather job that of a member of a brave group of DISTINGUISHED black gentlemen as the Pullman sleeping Car Porters or just know the Pullman Porters. They were named after George Pullman of the Pullman Palace Car Company training, the inventor of the Pullman sleeping Car designed for luxurious long distance rail travel.
As a Pullman Porter traveled my grandfather from his home in Fort Worth on many different train routes in the United States for the Texas and Pacific Railroad during the heyday of traveling by train from 1922 until 1962 when he retired.
When I, his grandson, born in Fort Worth, Kansas City, Missouri in 1977 moved, he told me many travel stories about his train to Kansas City. He told to come to the nation's largest train station, Union Station Centre (Grand Central Station in New York, as the first) and see all of the billboards on a hill opposite the station (now where is the Westin Crown Center Hotel) and then spend the night in the Hotel streets for Blacks located in what is now known as the 18th & Vine Historic Jazz District (a national District of historic places in the United States).
My grandparents were happily married for 65 years. They raised seven children all college trained of the salary that he received and the tips he earned from the many passengers travelling he served. My grandmother died in 1978 while my grandfather lived to 99 years old and died on Thursday, 9 June 1988 only a few months before turning 100 years old.
The Pullman Porters and their rich American history: George Pullman of the Pullman Palace railway car company founded in 1862, train cars created and developed the luxurious Pullman sleeping car that was used on trains for long and overnight travel. These cars, first introduced to the railway in 1867 had carpet, curtains, upholstered chairs, Libraries and card tables along with private sleeping rooms with beds and a bathroom for long train journeys.
Mr. Pullman had the idea to a group of very distinguished, to hire good looking, well dressed African American men to serve as Pullman Porters to help train people with what they might have while on board. This turned out to be great work for the Porters and was considered a very prestigious job on what Mr Pullman called a "Hotel on Wheels".
During the 1920s, Mr. Pullman cars had more than 9,800 Pullman train and he more than 12,000 African American Porters working. He was the largest single employer of blacks in the country at that time.
The daily work of a Pullman Porter was long and hard but good salary offered during the time the porters and also offered a chance to see the country. During the early years would they work 400 hours per month and 35 cents per hour or approximately $ 810.00 per year plus the tips that they wish to receive. This was good money and showed them to the proper care of their families and send their children to the University. Their prestigious job also helped the black middle class of that time.
The Pullman Porters were basically members of staff and had all kinds of demeaning behaviour of white people. There were many times when they were not mentioned by their names but rather referred to as "George" after George Pullman or just "boy" who hated them all.
Their daily work included shinning shoes, making beds, Room service, provide help of the traveling passengers with luggage or just about anything would want or need. The better the service the better the tips, which they hoped would receive. Sometimes a quarter and sometimes even a rare dollar as they provide very good service. In addition, the Pullman company policy work was hard and allowed the porters only four hours each night and they had to pay for their uniforms, logging and eat sleep.
On August 25, 1925, the Brotherhood of sleeping Car Porters founded by a black businessman, a. Philip Randolph. It was the country's first all-black Union and helped pave the way for better employment benefits for the porters.
On 25 August 1937 the Pullman Company signed a working agreement with the Pullman Porters who became the first ever labor agreement between black workers and a great American company. The result of the agreement included benefits such as reduction of their working hours of 400 per month up to 250 and increasing their salary of $ 67.50 per month to a minimum of $ 89.50 per month.
The Pullman Porters were highly respected members of their communities and were credited with contributing to the development of the black middle class in America like Black doctors, lawyers and educators of the time.
In 1968, the Pullman Company ended the operation of their sleeping cars and various railway companies took the Pullman car feature.The Porters were transferred to such companies as the Union Pacific Railroad and later Amtrak.
In short, if you ever have a chance to ride the Amtrak train today and you notice a nice Black Man taking care of your wishes him good tip and don't forget the proud history of the Brotherhood of sleeping Car Porters and in particular not remembering my grandfather, Pullman Porter John Jones "George" or "Boy".
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