The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters holds a significant place in Black history as the first labor union led by African Americans to be chartered by the American Federation of Labor. Organized in 1925 by A. Philip Randolph, the Brotherhood fought for better working conditions, higher wages, and an end to discrimination within the Pullman Company, which employed many Black workers as porters on train sleeping cars.

Despite facing resistance from both the company and conservative elements within the labor movement, the Brotherhood persisted and eventually won a historic victory in 1937 when they signed a contract with the Pullman Company, marking the first time a Black labor union successfully negotiated a collective bargaining agreement with a major corporation.

The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters paved the way for future generations of Black labor activists and played a crucial role in the broader civil rights movement by demonstrating the power of organized labor in the fight against racial discrimination and economic inequality.