Working on the Railroad: Pullman Porters and Maids

Janice Lovelace, PhD
May 5, 2023
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Content

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Welcome
1m 27s
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Speaker's Introduction
1m 06s
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Introduction
8m 18s
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Transcontinental Railroad
7m 29s
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Pullman Company
6m 05s
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Porters and Maids
13m 26s
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Union Activity
5m 28s
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Finding Records
9m 55s
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Announcements / prizes
7m 07s
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Questions / answers
13m 49s

About this webinar

The Pullman Company was one of the leading employers of African Americans, primarily male Porters, who worked on the railroad in the late 19th and early 20th century. This presentation will look briefly at the general growth of the railroad as well as the Pullman Company which built rail cars and rented them to rail companies. Pullman hired primarily African American men and women to staff the dining and sleeping cars. What was the job like and what were lives like for the Porters and Maids? How do we find records of ancestors who were Pullman Porters or Maids?

About the speaker

About the speaker

Janice Lovelace is a genealogical researcher, educator, author, and lecturer, with over thirty years of experience. She completed the Genealogy and Family History certificate at the University of Washington in 2012, the certificate program in
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Comments (25)

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  1. LB
    Luester Blair
    2 years ago

    Excellent! I learned information that I had not been aware of before, such as the maids on trains, who Pullman was, and what was done to try to break the union.

    Reply
  2. DO
    Dusty Oess
    2 years ago

    my pepole used the rail road to move there farm from Iowato North Dakota

    Reply
  3. KW
    Karen Williams
    2 years ago

    Very informative

    Reply
  4. RD
    Rosalyn Dowling
    2 years ago

    Thank you, Janice! I like hearing a presentation on a different subject! Very informative as well as interesting. Thanks to Marian as well.

    Reply
  5. XM
    Xana Miller
    2 years ago

    Great webinar.

    Reply
  6. EB
    Emily Brown
    2 years ago

    I really like the history and learning the conditions of work for AF-AMs. I was wondering if a Porter evrr told black passengers (if the train stopped for the night) where to stay and where not to stay.

    Reply
  7. MJ
    Mary Jones-Fitts
    2 years ago

    Looking for examples of Pullman’s records.

    Reply
  8. JH
    Jamesetta Hammons
    2 years ago

    Enjoyed the history of Pullman Porters and railroads. Most helpful were the resources for finding information. Thank you again.

    Reply

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