“MP PYS VMKTGSP….. (Please refer to your newspaper for complete puzzle.)
TODAY’S CLUE: E = I
ANSWER: “AT THE BANQUET TABLE OF NATURE, THERE ARE NO RESERVED SEATS … AND YOU CAN’T TAKE ANYTHING WITHOUT ORGANIZATION.” — A. PHILIP RANDOLPH
A. Philip Randolph
April 15, 1889 – May 16, 1979 • aged 90 • Labor & Civil Rights Leader
Overview
A. Philip Randolph was an American labor leader and civil rights activist who spent decades fighting racial discrimination and improving opportunities for Black workers. He became one of the most influential figures linking the American labor movement with the struggle for civil rights.
Early Life
Asa Philip Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida, and grew up in Jacksonville. He attended the Cookman Institute before moving to New York City in 1911, where he became involved in politics, labor issues, public speaking, and efforts to improve conditions for Black Americans.
Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters
Randolph became president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters in 1925. The union represented predominantly Black railroad porters and fought for better wages, shorter working hours, and improved working conditions. It eventually secured an important labor agreement with the Pullman Company.
March on Washington Movement
During World War II, Randolph organized the March on Washington Movement and threatened a large demonstration against discrimination in defense employment. President Franklin D. Roosevelt responded in 1941 with an executive order prohibiting racial discrimination in the nation’s defense industry.
1963 March on Washington
Randolph was a principal organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. The enormous demonstration brought hundreds of thousands of people to Washington, D.C., and became one of the defining events of the American civil rights movement.
Legacy
Randolph’s long career demonstrated the power of organized labor, peaceful protest, and economic pressure in challenging discrimination. President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1964, recognizing his extraordinary contribution to labor rights and racial equality.
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