INTRODUCTION

Preserving the History of the

African American Illinois Central Workers of the Historic Fulton Kentucky Railroad Station Project

Dr. Linda Holderness Bradford, Director

John “Pete” Algee, Coordinator

Fulton Kentucky

                

                  Ordinary People Making Extraordinary Differences

                 From its inception, thousands of African Americans worked for
the nation’s railroad and changed history.

                 At one time, the Illinois Central Railroad was one of the nation’s
greatest employers of African  Americans.

                 As well, at one time, as many as thirty trains a day passed through Fulton Kentucky.
                 Certainly, the stories of the African American Illinois Central Workers of the Historic Fulton KY Railroad Station have earned a mark on that important page of History.

The African American Illinois Central Workers of the Historic Fulton KY Railroad Station Project is a collection of research and presentation preservation endeavors, inspired by Dr. Bradford’s father, Gus Holderness’ 1940s work as a dining car waiter with the Illinois Central Railroad in Fulton Kentucky.

To date, the most significant part of the project is the Kentucky Oral History Society undertaking.

The Oral History Project is a series of ten oral history interviews with Fulton’s Illinois Central workers and/or family members, that focuses on the everyday lives of the African American Illinois Central Workers of the Historic Fulton KY Railroad Station. The 1940 -1970 heyday of the railroad is the primary era of interest for the project, though some of the subjects began their work on the railroad, earlier and some later.

The interview videos and 240 pages of photos and backstories are archived by the Kentucky Oral History Commission for 300 years and the videos are available for continuing research and general public use as interested.

Please note, this project is a labor of appreciation and not necessarily of scholarship. Omissions, typos and misprints, though deeply dreaded, will certainly be found. Corrections (submitted in writing only, please) will be greatly appreciated.

EMAIL:    AAICRRW.FK@Gmail.com
BLOG:      Http://AAICRRW-FK.blogspot.com PHONE:  Pete Algee 731-514-1663