“Equality is the heart and essence of democracy, freedom and justice. Without equality of opportunity in industry, in labor unions, schools and colleges, government, politics and before the law. Without equality in social relations and in all phases of human endeavor, the Negro is certain to be consigned to an inferior status. There must be no dual standards of justice, no dual rights, privileges, duties or responsibilities of citizenship. No dual forms of freedom.”
Labor leader and civil rights activist A. Philip Randolph, speaking in Detroit, MI, on September 26, 1942. Speech reprinted in W. Stuart Towns, “We want our freedom”: Rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement (Praeger, 2002), p. 56. photo source: Library of Congress.
A short set of links for Labor Day. As always, we encourage you to share this post with others. A link does not imply endorsement or agreement by the Council of Independent Colleges.
- “Labor Day Black History: Honoring A. Philip Randolph and Black Labor Unions,” Chicago Defender (September 3, 2022): LINK.
- Ben Railton, “No History of American Labor Should Exclude Slavery,” Saturday Evening Post (September 2, 2022): LINK.
- “Black Workplace Pioneers,” U.S. Department of Labor blog (February 2, 2022): LINK.
- Caitlin Rosenthal, “How the History of Slavery in America Offers an Important Labor Day Lesson,” TIME (August 30, 2018): LINK.
Also, September is International Underground Railroad Month!