The Pullman Porter: An American Journey

by Vanita Oelschlager

• ISBN10: 1938164008
• ISBN13: 9781938164002
• Publish Date: 1 February 2014
• Publish Status: Unknown
• Imprint: Vanita Books
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 44
• Language: English

Reviews

[readingwithwrin]

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

The Pullman Porter gives the history of African American men who took on the job of taking care of passengers on George Pullman's passenger trains. They handled everything from the moment you got on the train to the moment you departed. If you've ever watched any older movies that involve train sleeper cars you've probably seen Pullman and all that was expected of them.
The emphasis on education and how the men learned the whole time they were working and listened to what was going on around them was so nice to see. I had no idea that they helped start the civil rights movement and even worked so closely with a president to better work conditions and started a union.
The illustrations in this book are beautiful and getting to learn more about train history and the men who made it possible for so many passengers to have a good experience.


Blog Twitter Instagram Facebook

[annieb123]

Author Vanita Oelschlager and artist Mike Blanc teamed up to create a beautifully illustrated and written book for young readers about the Pullman Porters of railroad's heyday.
The work was often grueling and poorly paid, but it was considered a prestigious job for African Americans (many of whom, in the early days, were ex-slaves). The book is short, 44 pages, but each is beautifully illustrated and the text is accessible and well written.

I can imagine this being a useful book in a classroom setting, as a part of a unit on post Civil War America, as a background book for a unit on ethnic diversity and roles in America, or as a study unit on railroads/travel.

I remember when I was a child, traveling from Pittsburgh to Boston and Cape Cod every summer. We traveled by train, and even in the 60s and early 70s it was a wonderful adventure.

This book does not sugar-coat or play down the degrading and often dangerous work which was required of the porters. They were expected to purchase and maintain their uniforms and even to buy the shoe-polish they used.

Well researched and factual, I learned a lot about the history of the Pullman porters and the afterword even lists some of the more famous of their descendants.

Five stars
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher.