The Railroad and Civil Rights

Pullman Porters worked on luxury railroad sleeping cars from the late 1860s to the late 20th century.

Traveling to a Washington DC to attend a civil rights rally - photo curtesy of Samuel A. Jennings

Silver Peaks - converted from a segregated baggage car to an open air lounge for all to enjoy.

How Railroads Helped Power the Civil Rights Movement

Each January, we honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a leader who challenged America to keep moving forward toward justice, dignity, and equality. While Dr. King is often remembered for marches and speeches, another force quietly supported the Civil Rights Movement: the railroad.

Railroads were more than transportation. They were pathways carrying people, ideas, and momentum during a time when movement itself was an act of courage.

Railroads and the Freedom to Move

In the early and mid-20th century, trains offered one of the few reliable ways for African Americans to travel long distances for work, education, worship, and organizing. Railroads helped connect Southern communities to Northern cities, fueling the Great Migration and reshaping the social and political landscape that made the Civil Rights Movement possible.

Dr. King traveled extensively as a minister and organizer, relying on the transportation networks of his time to unite communities around a shared vision for change.

Progress Along Segregated Tracks

Despite symbolizing progress, railroads were also places of injustice. Under Jim Crow laws, Black passengers were often forced into segregated and inferior railcars or denied access to dining and sleeping accommodations, despite paying the same fares. Transportation, like voting and education, was a civil rights issue.

CVSR acknowledges this history through the railcars it preserves. One such car in our fleet, Silver Peaks, was built and operated during the Jim Crow era. Today, it has been reimagined as an open-air lounge, often used for social gatherings that bring people of all walks of life together. What once existed in a divided system now serves as a space for connection—reflecting how progress can transform the meaning of place.

The Pullman Porters and the Power of Connection

Some of the most influential figures in the movement worked aboard the rails. Pullman Porters, primarily African American men, formed the first successful Black labor union in the United States. Led by A. Philip Randolph, a key ally of Dr. King, they shared information and built networks across cities, helping lay the groundwork for the 1963 March on Washington.

The railroad didn’t just carry passengers. . .  it carried the movement.

A Journey Still in Motion

Dr. King reminded us that “the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” His words echo the idea of a journey, one that requires momentum and participation. Progress doesn’t happen by standing still.

At Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad, we preserve the railroad’s role in American history, not just as a mode of transportation, but as a reflection of the people and stories it carried. As we honor Dr. King’s legacy, we’re reminded that the journey toward justice continues.

None of us can afford to miss the train.