Student will:
Comment on the political and social context of African Canadians between 1900 and the Second World War
Examine the role and experiences of Black sleeping car porters
Become familiar with working conditions of sleeping car porters before they became unionized
Investigate primary source documents, images, and artifacts to build historical knowledge
Make inferences about the artifacts relating to Black sleeping car porters
Explain how Canada’s identity has been and continues to be shaped by its global participation
Discuss the struggle for equal human rights by Black Canadians in the twentieth century to the present day
Background Information
The Pullman Palace Car Company established the Pullman porter position in 1867. George Pullman, the company owner, designed the Pullman sleeping car to provide luxury overnight travel service in the United States. Pullman hired Black men to work as porters because they were a source of cheap and abundant lab