UTM CIVIL RIGHTS CONFERENCE

Thursday afternoon, Feb 24, 2010
Jim Crow Trains, Civil Rights and
the Creation of the Black Middle Class
African Americans and the Railroad, 1930-1970
Video and Discussion

Institutional racism and dehumanizing discrimination are as much a part of American railroad history as the intricate design of its wheels and track. Yet in a strange dichotomy, the railroads' role included actions both good and evil in determining the future of black lives. While rigidly enforcing Jim Crow laws, railroads, albeit unintentional, contributed significantly to the success of the civil rights movement. They provided steady employment for African American workers and travel opportunities for their families that might otherwise not have been possible at that time. Offering freedom and stability, this phenomenon, is credited by many as the foundation for the creation of our nation's politically powerful black middle class.

Facilitators: Dr. Linda Bradford Director, Kentucky Oral History Commission Project: African American Railroad Workers of Fulton Kentucky and Retired Railroad Engineer,Pete Algee.