Burnside Rare Books

Instructions to Porters, Attendants and Bus Boys [with] Instructions to Conductors

The Pullman Company

[no place]: The Pullman Company, 1952.

First edition. Brad-bound printed sheets in black leatherette covers with one volume stamped in silver and the other gold. Near Fine with light wear to metallic stamping, dulling to gold stamping; light toning to contents. Rare guidebooks produced for the largely African-American staff of the Pullman Company.

Shortly after the Civil War, The Pullman Company became notable for hiring thousands of African American men—including many former slaves—to serve white passengers traveling across the country on the company’s luxury railroad sleeping cars. Following meticulous rules and procedures as evident by those in this guidebook, these men became pillars of the African-American community who as a result of their training maintained the highest standards of personal and professional decorum. Though they were underpaid, overworked and endured never-ending racism on the job, the Pullman porters would eventually help to fuel the Great Migration, shape a new Black middle class and help launch the civil rights movement. Item #140946365

Price: $4,200