Saturday was National Train Day. This year, Philadelphia’s 30th Street Station hosted an event honoring the Pullman porters, the African American men who worked long hours as attendants on the luxurious sleeper trains operated by the Pullman Company from 1868 to 1969. The Pullman porters played an important but unsung role in the history of this country. In 1925, they formed the first black labor union under the stewardship of A. Philip Randolph. They also helped pave the way for the civil rights movement and are also credited with building the black middle class in this country. [includes rush transcript]

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