Preserving Black History Legacies: Pullman National Monument Visitor Center

Quinn Evans has been involved with a series of extraordinary projects to preserve the invaluable legacy of African Americans whose experiences and achievements have enriched our country, often at a great personal sacrifice. Protecting these places enables immersive visitor education and engagement with the past, perpetuating the immeasurable impact these events have had on our continued quest for equality.

Pullman National Monument Visitor Center

From the mid-19th through -20th centuries, the Pullman Company manufactured and operated railroad cars, and founder George Pullman is credited with developing the sleeper car. The company is also associated with the 1894 Pullman Strike; a national railroad worker strike that made its mark on US labor laws. Unionization of African American workers led to the founding of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters by A. Philip Randolph in 1925. At this time, Pullman’s workforce was 45% porters- making them the largest employer of African Americans in the US. In 1937, Pullman and the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters reached the first major labor agreement between a company and African American union. A. Philip Randolph continued working for decades as an activist leader in civil rights and labor organization movements.

Designated a National Monument by President Obama, work is now underway to establish a visitor experience at this National Park Service site. The Quinn Evans team is guiding the process to ensure that the landscape design meets the Secretary of Interior standards for cultural landscapes while providing visitor access, opportunities for interpretation of the historic transfer pit, workers gate, and front lawn park, and sustainable stormwater solutions.