Instructions to Porters, Attendants and Bus Boys
[no place]: The Pullman Company, 1952.
First edition, first printing. Brad-bound printed sheets in black leatherette covers stamped in silver. Near Fine with light wear to gilt and spots of soiling to front cover, faint small staining to lower edge of text block, toning to pages and an inked-over name on the preliminary leaf. A rare guidebook produced for the largely African-American staff of the Pullman Company. While not Pullman's first guide, this is the first with this title. 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.
Price: $1,500