Building a Blueprint for Effective Mass Protest: A Study of Asa Philip Randolph’s Coalition Building, 1925–1941 Public

Abstract

In 1925, Asa Philip Randolph formed the first Black union known as the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. The formation of the union and his subsequent actions would have a significant impact on the future of protest for disempowered groups. This three chapter study establishes Randolph’s blueprint for mass protest. Over a period of sixteen years, Randolph established alliances with like-minded organizations to advocate for labor reform. He devised a way to exercise the power of his coalitions, creating the March on Washington Movement. In 1941, his mass protest strategy resulted in an executive order known as Executive Order 8802, which banned discrimination in the defense industry and established the Fair Employment Practices Committee. His victory in 1941 proved the effectiveness of his strategy. Therefore, when he organized the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, the 1941 March served as the blueprint. This time Randolph’s strategy of mass protest led to an event attended by 250,000 people. The 1963 March was the result of Randolph’s work that began in 1925 when he agreed to form the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.

Table of Contents

Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………1

Chapter I: The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the Birth of Randolph’s Coalition Building Strategy, 1925–1932……………………………………………………………………9

Chapter II: Coalition Building Yields Results and National Prominence, 1933–1940………... 30

Chapter III: Coalition Building Becomes a Movement: The March on Washington, 1941…….50

Epilogue…………………………………………………………………………………………72

Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………………..80

About this Honors Thesis

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School	Emory College
Department	History
Degree	B.A.
Submission	Honors Thesis
Language	English
Research Field	History, Black African American Studies History, United States
Mot-clé	March on Washington 1963 Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters Pullman Company The Great Depression March on Washington 1941 World War I Unions World War II
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Jason Morgan Ward, Emory University

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