III 

113TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 218 

Honoring the legacy of A. Philip Randolph and saluting his efforts on behalf 

of the people of the United States to form ‘‘a more perfect union’’. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 9, 2013 

Mr. NELSON submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on the Judiciary 

RESOLUTION 

Honoring the legacy of A. Philip Randolph and saluting 

his efforts on behalf of the people of the United States 

to form ‘‘a more perfect union’’. 

Whereas A. Philip Randolph was born on April 15, 1889, and 

grew up in Jacksonville, Florida; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph attended the Cookman Institute, one 

of the first high schools for African-Americans in the 

United States, located in Jacksonville, Florida, and graduated valedictorian of his class in 1907; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph was an inspirational person who demonstrated an unyielding struggle for human rights on behalf of marginalized groups in society; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph was active in both the civil rights 

movement and the labor movement in the United States; 


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•SRES 218 IS 

Whereas Mr. Randolph was a tireless and highly effective advocate for African-American rights during the 1930s and 

1940s, focusing particularly on employment rights; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph led the effort to organize the porters 

of the Pullman Company, one of the largest railroad car 

companies in the United States at that time; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph founded the Brotherhood of Sleeping 

Car Porters, an organization that advanced the rights of 

African-American workers to dignity, respect, and a decent livelihood; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph urged President Franklin Roosevelt 

to end employment discrimination against African-Americans in the Federal Government; 

Whereas, after the urging of Mr. Randolph, President Roosevelt issued Executive Order 8802 (6 Fed. Reg. 3109) 

on June 25, 1941, declaring that ‘‘there shall be no discrimination in the employment of workers in defense industries and in government because of race, creed, color, 

or national origin’’ and established the Fair Employment 

Practices Commission to oversee that order; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph urged President Harry Truman to 

end segregation in the Armed Forces of the United 

States; 

Whereas, after the urging of Mr. Randolph, President Truman issued Executive Order 9981 (13 Fed. Reg. 4313) 

on July 26, 1948, declaring that ‘‘[T]here shall be equality of treatment and opportunity for all persons in the 

armed services without regard to race, color, religion or 

national origin. This policy shall be put into effect as 

rapidly as possible, having due regard to the time required to effectuate any necessary changes without imVerDate Mar 15 2010 02:36 Sep 10, 2013 Jkt 029200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR218.IS SR218

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•SRES 218 IS 

pairing efficiency or morale.’’ and closed the segregated 

Marine Corps boot camp at Montford Point in Jacksonville, North Carolina; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph was actively involved in the planning 

and organization of many civil rights efforts, including 

the prayer pilgrimage for freedom in 1957, the marches 

for school integration in 1958 and 1959, and the March 

on Washington in 1963; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph was the first speaker of the day at 

the March on Washington on August 28, 1963, during 

which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., delivered his famous 

‘‘I Have a Dream’’ speech; 

Whereas the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Public Law 88–352; 

78 Stat. 241), the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (Public 

Law 89–110; 79 Stat. 437), and the Civil Rights Act of 

1968 (Public Law 90–284; 82 Stat. 73) are the fruits of 

the seeds that Mr. Randolph and others like him sowed 

many years before; 

Whereas Mr. Randolph helped to found the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights; 

Whereas Amtrak named one of its luxury sleeping cars, the 

Superliner II Deluxe Sleeper 32503, the ‘‘A. Philip Randolph’’ in honor of Mr. Randolph; 

Whereas a bust in the likeness of Mr. Randolph stands in 

Union Station in Washington, DC, as a tribute to his 

work on behalf of African-American rail workers; 

Whereas, in 1964, Mr. Randolph was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Lyndon Johnson; 

Whereas the civil rights revolution was launched, in no small 

part, based on the efforts of Mr. Randolph and the work 

of statesmen like him; and 


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Whereas, upon the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the 

March on Washington in 2013, it is fitting to honor the 

work of Mr. Randolph and his commitment to a better 

United States: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate honors the legacy of A. 

2 Philip Randolph and salutes his efforts on behalf of the 

3 people of the United States to form ‘‘a more perfect 

4 union’’. 

Æ 


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