A. Philip Randolph

A. Philip Randolph was a visionary and a fearless fighter born in Crescent City, Florida,
on April 15, 1889. His life’s mission was to elevate the Black working class, a group
often left out of the larger narrative of civil rights. Randolph’s roots in Crescent City were
just the beginning, as his journey took him to Jacksonville, where his passion for social
justice began to take shape. He grew up in a family that valued education and activism,
and it was in Florida’s heat that his lifelong dedication to labor rights was ignited.

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Randolph’s legacy is vast, but it was his work as the founder of the Brotherhood of
Sleeping Car Porters in 1925 that became the cornerstone of his impact. He brought
attention to the plight of Black workers, who were often overlooked and underpaid. His
leadership and determination led to the first major African American labor union
recognized by the U.S. government. In doing so, Randolph secured better wages and
working conditions for thousands of Black porters, many of whom were Floridians.

His influence extended far beyond labor rights. Randolph played a critical role in
pushing for the desegregation of the armed forces and was a driving force behind the
March on Washington in 1963, where Dr. King gave his famous “I Have a Dream”
speech. Through his activism, cities across Florida, including Jacksonville, Miami, and
Tallahassee, benefited from the policies he championed. He showed us that the fight for
civil rights is inseparable from economic justice. Randolph's boldness in confronting
both racism and classism set the stage for many of the civil rights battles that would
follow.