A. Philip Randolph and the Struggle for Civil Rights

by Cornelius L. Bynum

A. Philip Randolph's career as a trade unionist and civil rights activist fundamentally shaped the course of black protest in the mid-twentieth century. Standing alongside individuals such as W. E. B. Du Bois and Marcus Garvey at the center of the cultural renaissance and political radicalism that shaped communities such as Harlem in the 1920s and into the 1930s, Randolph fashioned an understanding of social justice that reflected a deep awareness of how race complicated class concerns, especially among black laborers. Examining Randolph's work in lobbying for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, threatening to lead a march on Washington in 1941, and establishing the Fair Employment Practice Committee, Cornelius L. Bynum shows that Randolph's push for African American equality took place within a broader progressive program of industrial reform. Some of Randolph's pioneering plans for engineering change--which served as foundational strategies in the civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s--included direct mass action, nonviolent civil disobedience, and purposeful coalitions between black and white workers. Bynum interweaves biographical information on Randolph with details on how he gradually shifted his thinking about race and class, full citizenship rights, industrial organization, trade unionism, and civil rights protest throughout his activist career.

Genres: History, Biography, American History

244 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2010

Reviews

[Stephen Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

A. Phillip Randolph is an all too often overlooked giant of the Civil Rights movement, and one who has received much less study, while accomplishing as much, or more, than his better remembered contemporaries. 'A. Phillip Randolph and the Struggle for Civil Rights' is an important addition to the existing published work. Differing from earlier biographies of Randolph, that concentrate on his work for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters or his role in the civil rights activism of the 1950's and 1960's, Bynum's book covers, in depth, the earlier period of Randolph's life that shaped the civil rights leaders intellectual and philosophical development, his commitment to equality and economic fairness, and class solidarity. Well done. Highly recommended.

[Abigail · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for class, informative but I hate being told what to read 😅

[Paul · Rating 1 out of 5]

Probably the worst attempt at intellectual history that I have ever read. Incompetent from start to finish.