Florida Historical Markers Programs - Marker Detail

Description: Side One: Asa Philip Randolph was born on April 15, 1889, in Crescent City, Florida. In 1891, his family moved to Jacksonville, which had a thriving, well-established African American community. From his father, Randolph learned that color was less important than a person's character and conduct. From his mother, he learned the importance of education. Randolph attended Jacksonville’s first high school for African Americans, the Cookman Institute, and was valedictorian of the 1907 graduating class. Randolph organized and led the nation’s first predominantly African American labor union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, in 1925. As an early voice in the civil rights and labor movements, Randolph would not be silenced. His continuous agitation, with the support of fellow labor rights activists, against unfair labor practices regarding people of color eventually led President Franklin D. Roosevelt to issue Executive Order 8802 in 1941, which banned discrimination in the defense industries during World War II. Side Two: Following World War II, Randolph protested racial segregation in the armed forces. He successfully pressured President Harry S. Truman to issue Executive Order 9981, which ended the practice in 1948. Randolph’s effective use of non-violent civil disobedience was an inspiration for later civil rights leaders. In 1963, he partnered with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and other activists to carry out the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, one of the largest civil rights demonstrations in American history. Randolph earned many accolades before and after his death in 1979. A number of programs, institutions, and locations are named in his honor. They include the A. Philip Randolph Academies of Technology in Jacksonville; the A. Philip Randolph Career Academy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and the A. Philip Randolph Institute in Washington, D.C. The City of Jacksonville renamed Florida Avenue to A. Philip Randolph Boulevard, and Crescent City named Randolph Street in his honor. Amtrak named its Superliner II Deluxe Sleeper 32503 cars the "A. Philip Randolph.” The Pullman Porter Museum in Chicago, Illinois, and Edward Waters College in Jacksonville both have exhibits dedicated to Randolph’s life and accomplishments.