Canadian Sleeping Car Porters, Circa 1957.

The working conditions faced by Black sleeping car porters hired by Canada’s two railroad companies were far from glamorous, presenting challenging situations that often caused humiliation and even resulted in loss of employment and the ability to support their families. This Historians Recount episode tells of the situations Black sleeping car porters faced, how they maintained their dignity in the face of adversity, what made them laugh, and how they fought to gain respect for themselves and all railway workers.