Black Railway Porters and their Union Activity National Historic Event

A Black railway porter on the right and a steward, 1958
A porter (right) and a steward, 1958
© Library and Archives Canada / National Film Board fonds / e011177028

Black railway porters and their Union activity were designated as a national historic event in 1994.

Historical importance: broke new ground by gaining recognition for Blacks in labour relations and by making important contributions to the human rights movement in Canada.

Commemorative plaque: 100 des Canadiens-de-Montréal Avenue, Montréal, QuebecFootnote 1

Railway Porters and their Unions

Railway porters played a major role in the struggle for Black rights in Canada. Starting in the late 1880s, they emerged as leaders of African Canadian communities in Montréal and in other urban centres. Through their unions, such as the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters and the Order of Sleeping Car Porters, they gained recognition for Blacks within the labour movement. After the Second World War, the porters made important contributions to the campaign for human rights, particularly through their struggle to end discrimination in railway employment.

Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada
English plaque inscription
A Canadian Pacific Railway Black railway porter at a stop, 1933
A Canadian Pacific Railway porter at a short stop of the intercontinental train, 1933
© Felix H. Man / Library and Archives Canada / PA-145950
A Black railway porter dusting off a passenger, 1958
A porter dusting off passenger, 1958
© Royal Canadian Air Force / Library and Archives Canada / Department of Indian Affairs and Northern Development fonds / e011307390

 

Commemorative plaque installed in a street in Montreal, Quebec
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada commemorative plaque for Black Railway Porters and their Union Activity National Historic Event, 2017
© Parks Canada
Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada commemorative plaque installed on a wall for the Black Railway Porters and their Union Activity National Historic Event
Commemorative plaque installed at 1100 des Canadiens-de-Montréal Avenue, Montréal, Quebec, 2017
© Parks Canada

The National Program of Historical Commemoration relies on the participation of Canadians in the identification of places, events and persons of national historic significance. Any member of the public can nominate a topic for consideration by the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

Get information on how to participate in this process

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