The sad story of the African American baggage handlers called Red Caps is a sad story in American social history that was told well in this 1938 article from KEN MAGAZINE. The Red Caps had been around since the 1890s and they were assigned the task of carrying luggage to and from trains and taxis; this article points out that in the Thirties, one of every three of them had a college degree and was vastly over-qualified for this line of work.

“Who are these bag carriers? To you – just porters. But among them are doctors, dentists, lawyers, preachers, social service workers, musicians, artists, chemists.”


Read More Articles from KEN MAGAZINE…

Dorie Miller was an African-American hero during the Second World War, click here if you would like to read about him.


Click here to read a history of African-Americans between the years 1619 through 1939.


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Read The Red Caps<br>(Ken Magazine, 1938) for Free

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