An archive of material pertaining to the Pullman Porters achieved $17,500 at Swann Auction Galleries in New York on March 27.
The lot included playing cards, jackets and towels among a wealth of other items. The auction house described it as the most complete collection of Pullman memorabilia it has ever handled.
 The Pullman Porters developed a strong reputation for service |
The porters were African Americans who were hired to work on sleeper cars in the restoration period (1860s onwards).
They developed a reputation for elite service and were paid relatively well, which in turn helped in the formation of a black middle class.
They founded the first all-black union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, in 1925 - a significant milestone in the civil rights movement.
The archive sold as part of an auction of African Americana, which also included a rare 1793 Banneker's Almanack.
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