10,000 Georges in Barre

Although his name might not be as familiar as that of Martin Luther King, A. Philip Randolph was one of the most important, and early leaders of the Civil Rights Movement.

Randolph, a journalist and socialist, organized the first black-controlled union, The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, in the 1920s, a time when all of those workers were called “George.” The black porters, who worked for the notoriously anti-labor Pullman Company, also received lower wages than white workers. The powerful story of that landmark effort on behalf of both civil rights and labor is the subject of “10,000 Black Men Named George,” the next film in the Barre Historical Society’s ongoing Labor Films series. The film will be shown at Barre’s historic Old Labor Hall, 46 Granite St. at 4 pm on Sunday, January 26.

In attempting to obtain 10,000 signatures of the men known only as “George,” Randolph came to be known as “the most dangerous man in America.” The 2002 film stars Andre Braugher, Charles S. Dutton, and Mario Van Peebles.|

In addition to organizing railroad workers, Randolph led the World War II March on Washington Movement, which convinced President Roosevelt to ban discrimination in the defense industries. After the war Randolph pressured President Truman to end in the armed services. In 1963, Randolph was the head of the March on Washington at which Reverend Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his "I Have A Dream" speech.

Admission to “10,000 Black Men Named George” is by donation. Proceeds will benefit the Labor Hall. For information: info@oldlaborhall.com, www.oldlaborhall.com. –