Our Girl Scouts, friends, and family participated in a tour through the historic Pullman District. This was just one of the many activities scheduled for our Social Inclusion Week.
Tour Guide and Chicago Historian Dilla of Mahogany Tours explained that Pullman was one of the first industrialized communities in the United States, featuring a campus that included a manufacturing plant for Pullman train cars and housing for its workers.
Before the rise of the aircraft industry, rail was the preferred and primary mode of cross-country transportation. Pullman Cars, also known as sleeping cars, offered far more comfort than sitting in a regular seat, much like today’s airplane sleep pods. Manufacturing of Pullman Cars ceased in 1982.
Although the Girl Scouts explored the area by bus, there are several exhibits visitors can access in a 5-block radius, including the Administration Clock Tower building and the Pullman Exhibit Hall. The National A. Phillip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum is currently closed and under construction. Walking throughout the community, one can also notice the architectural differences between the homes of the “bosses” and the general workers (who, by the way, all came to work dressed in suits).
Two interesting moments stood out on the tour. One of the Girl Scouts asked how individuals with walking disabilities would have navigated the streets and multi-level family homes in the past. Dilla explained, gently but honestly, that unless a family member was willing or able to carry them up and down the stairs, those individuals were often confined to one floor or sent away to live in places that were not very pleasant. Today, many homeowners have installed elevators (typically at the back of the building) and, thanks to the Americans with Disabilities Act, the streets are more accessible.
Dilla also shared the story of A. Phillip Randolph, who in 1925 organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (later known as Pullman Porters), the first successful African American-led labor union. The Porters also played a key role in the Great Migration by distributing the Chicago Defender and other black-owned newspapers along their routes. It was also commonly known that if someone needed to leave town quickly, and they knew a porter, they could sometimes be smuggled onto the train and safely dropped off at a stop along the way.
Kathy, the daughter of a Pullman Porter, shared a special memory. While traveling back to Southern Illinois University (Carbondale) and boarding The Illini at the Homewood station (yes, trains back then had names), her father saw a fellow porter on the train. Because this train’s final destination was New Orleans, it came equipped with a dining car and several sleeping cars. As part of the Loyal Order of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, he told his colleague, “That’s my youngest daughter on her way back to school, so you watch out for her.” Needless to say, she didn’t sit in coach that day. The porter escorted her to the front of the train, where she sat in a comfortable roomette for the duration of the trip. An unforgettable experience, and one still on her bucket list to relive.
The tradition of tipping in the service industry also has roots in the history of the Pullman Porters. Because they weren’t paid much, porters relied heavily on tips for shining shoes, turning down beds, and providing exceptional service. Many celebrities traveled by rail at the time, and stories were often shared among porters. Her father used to say that while some big names in particular were very generous tippers, others were not.
It was an inspiring and educational day, and we’re proud to offer experiences like this that connect our Girl Scouts and their families to the powerful stories woven into Chicago’s history.
Special thanks to Kathy C. for sharing this story and her reflections with us.