Asa Randolph Philip - Research Paper Example

Asa Randolph Philip Asa Randolph Phillips (April 15th 1889 – May 16th 1979) attended Cookman’s institute in East Jacksonville. By the time, this institute was the only academic high school or institution that was situated in Florida for African American people. Asa, together with his brother James were excellent students. He excelled so well in the fields of literature, drama, and public speaking. He also played baseball in the school team and sang solos with the choir. Asa Randolph Philip was first educated locally before he travelled to New York city. He attended the City College and studied Economics and Philosophy. He lectured at the Rand School of Social Science after the World War 1 (Randolph Biography 2014). Asa Philip Randolph was born in Crescent City, Florida in April 1889 as a second son of reverend William James Randolph, who was a tailor and at the same time a minister in the African Methodist Episcopal Church and Elizabeth Randolph who was a skilled tailor. After his graduation, Randolph did some odd jobs and dedicated most of his time in activities like reading, acting, and singing. For example, WEB Dubois’ “The Souls of Black Folk” greatly influenced him towards the importance of social equity (Lamar 1998). Asa Randolph Phillip is one of the few Black Americans who made tremendous contributions in history through their work and their influence to the general public. He was the leader of African American civil rights movement, the American labor movements and Socialist political parties. Asa Randolph Philip is responsible for organizing and giving leadership to the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, which is preponderantly regarded as the first black labor union. He is called the most dangerous black in America more importantly, because of the kind of influence he demonstrated to have across the American society (Harmon 2000). Asa Randolph Philip demonstrated his charisma, as he is responsible for what is called the historic 1963 march on Washington, where he led more than two hundred and fifty people. It is referred to as the March on Washington movement, which is said to have convinced President Roosevelt to issue executive order 8802 in the year 1941, which led to banning the discriminatory practices that were too evident in the defense industries during the Second World War. This movement was organized by B. Rustin, at which Luther King Jr. birthed his “I Have A Dream” speech (Hardy 1993). The march on Washington saw thousands of Americans joining hands and uniting under the slogan “jobs and Freedom” something that was very unusual at the time and it really reflected in the type of character Asa really was. He was brave, a true leader and freedom fighter. Furthermore, he presented, in 1966 the freedom budget to the nation. This was also very important. Asa Randolph demonstrated his different types of leadership, as he possessed the power of persuasion. In his speeches, he presented his cries and complaints with justice until presidents bowed and signed orders that he demanded to be changed. He was therefore very instrumental in airing the views of the people especially those who had no voice in the American society (Knight 2009). He can also be viewed as a true reformist as this very group under his leadership also successfully succeeded to pressurize president Harry S. Truman to affect the executive order number 9981 in the year 1948 which was responsible for ending the segregation in the armed services. This was only possible because of his efforts. Furthermore, Randolph is a man of the people. He spoke for all the dispossessed without discrimination. From the start, he hated all forms of discrimination and fought them relentlessly. He spoke for the Black people, poor Whites, Puerto Ricans, Indians, and Mexican Americans. This clearly indicates that he was no racist despite being a black American (Zeiger 2012). Asa Philip Randolph attained the black workers their rightful when he was the leader of labor organizations. His initial experience in labor organizations was in 1917 when he made plans and organized the union of the Elevator operators of the New York City. In the year, 1919 Asa became the leader of National Brotherhood Workers of America. This union, which organized amongst African American shipyard and dockworkers ended in 1921, after it was pressurized by government under the American federation of Labor to dissolve. Asa Randolph greatest success was brought about by the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, after they elected him as the president of the organization in the year 1925 (Knight 2009). He is a successful civil rights leader. The civil rights revolution, which traces its roots to early 1950s, can be attributed to Asa Randolph’s efforts and the work of men of his like. Even after, he had become an elder or a senior diplomat, his passion, and vigor for justice never ended. They remained as part of him until the day he had his last breath. He can be viewed as a persistent leader who never gave up. He has a tale of many defeats and many victories as well. Although sometimes he failed, he sowed the seeds that afterwards blossomed and bore fruits especially for the black people for whom their rights he had been championing for. He was in the Harlem Renaissance though he only has little to show about it. Way back in 1936 Asa was drafted presidency of the National Negro Congress (N.N.C). The new organization was meant to amass the black population far and wide working through and by the trade unions. Though this organization did not go very far, it had achieved a number of things before Mr. Asa discovered that he had come under the communist control he seriously dreaded and decided to quietly quit (Harmon 2000). Asa Randolph Philip was an integrationist. He trusted that formations or organizations that had come into existence to engage the black and working class struggle had better come from those groups. He differed with WEB Dubois’ claim that a talented tenth of the race would pave way for its entry into society. He was a socialist who was associated with strong left wing drives or campaigns. As a result of this, Mr. Asa was subject to many pressures from the other worldwide radical groups including the communists. This fact did not augur so well with his career and sometimes he was relegated to maintaining his dignity in the American society. Nevertheless, Asa Randolph Philip is a firm believer of non-violence and integration. These two qualities had covered Mr. Asa with depth and honor and these principles gave him such outlook qualities (Zeiger 2012). Randolph displayed his power and prowess when he became disturbed by the growing power of Adolf Hitler, and in 1940 he helped establish the Union for Democratic Action, an organization that called for the assistance of the people of America to defeat and eliminate Fascism with other members such as Louise Bowen, George S. Counts, Reinhold Niebuhr, , and Louis Fraina. Fortunately, they succeeded. This made Randolph leave a legacy to be emulated in the society by all generations (Hardy 1993). He also organized the 1957 prayer pilgrimage for the civil rights bill. This action portrayed Mr. Randolph as a man who is all rounded in all spheres of life. He was very conversant with nearly every field of life. Asa showed his determination for championing the civil rights when he was accused of breaking the Espionage act before being arrested during the First World War. It was claimed that Randolph and his co-editor Chandler Owen were guilty of treason after opposing African Americans joining the Army (Harmon 2000). He was also president of the institute bearing his name and president Emeritus of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the union he was responsible for and which he built. In his final years, Randolph worked closely with Bayard Rustin in the AFL –CIO funded, Philip Randolph Institute that was established in 1966. Asa Randolph Philip has a big history according to his life and deeds. Though his life is full of failures and success, it surely proves the saying “it is better to spend your whole life making mistakes than spend it by being inactive.” Even though he made minimal errors this cannot be considered anything when compared to what he did (Randolph Biography 2014). Randolph made great and historic contributions in very many areas especially in those to do with civil society. He will be remembered for his relentless fight against oppression whether in the workplace or racial. He was vocal in airing the complaints and the cry for the oppressed African Americans, Puerto Ricans, Indians, and Mexican Americans who were neglected by the American society. Randolph differed with many key personalities, not on personal grounds but on matters of public interest, something that portrays him not as an artificial leader, but that by default at some point he was regarded as the most dangerous Black in America. He was a strong personality who did not mind about his personal life but that of the oppressed worker in the American industries (Lamar 1998). In short, He led thousands of people in the March on Washington in 1963, he spoke for the homeless, he championed for labor rights, he won the fight against discrimination in the armed forces, organized the 1957 prayer pilgrimage for the civil rights bill, and started an academy. All these were some of his known achievements in a nutshell. Asa Randolph Philip died in may 16, 1979 aged 90 years. Works Cited Harmon, Rod. American civil rights leaders. Berkeley, NJ: Ew Publishers, 2000. Print. Lamar, Howard Roberts. The new encyclopedia of the American West. New Haven [Conn.]: University of Yale Press, 1998. Print. Hardy, Gayle J. American women civil rights activists. Jefferson, N.C.: Farland, 1993. Print. Knight, Gladys L. Icons of African American protest. Westport, Conn.: Gd Press, 2009. Print. Zeiger, Jennifer. The civil rights movement. New York: Childrens Press, 2012. Print. A. Philip Randolph Biography. Bio, 2014. Retrieved on 29 Mar 2014. . Read More