The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters was the first African American labor union to receive a charter in the American Federation of Labor. It was founded in 1925 by A. Philip Randolph, a prominent civil rights leader, and labor organizer. The Brotherhood aimed to improve working conditions and rights for African American porters working for the Pullman Company, which operated luxury sleeping cars on trains.

Despite facing significant opposition and discrimination, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters eventually succeeded in negotiating the first collective bargaining agreement between a Black labor union and a major U.S. corporation in 1937. This landmark agreement improved wages, working conditions, and job security for African American porters.

The Brotherhood played a crucial role in the labor and civil rights movements of the 20th century, setting a precedent for organizing African American workers and advocating for racial equality in the workplace. A. Philip Randolph's leadership of the Brotherhood also paved the way for his later involvement in the March on Washington Movement and his influence on the Civil Rights Movement as a whole.