Why Were Sleeping Car Porters Called George?

Sleeping car porters, who were predominantly Black men, were commonly called "George" as a direct and demeaning reference to George Pullman, the founder of the Pullman Palace Car Company. This practice was a stark reflection of the dehumanizing tradition from the enslavement era, where enslaved people were often named after their enslavers, thereby reinforcing a deeply ingrained social hierarchy and stripping individuals of their personal identity.

The Historical Context of the Name

The Pullman Company's service model, which established the standard for luxury rail travel across North America, including its migration to Canada, was heavily influenced by attitudes prevalent during the slavery era. This model systematically relied on Black men for its labor force, as these positions were often among the few employment opportunities available to them within the burgeoning railway industry.

By universally referring to every porter as "George," regardless of their actual name, the company and its passengers effectively erased the porters' individual identities. This served to echo historical power dynamics, where naming conventions were used to assert dominance and deny personal autonomy, reducing the porters to a generic, subservient role rather than acknowledging them as distinct individuals or valued employees.

Impact on Porters and Society

The practice of calling all porters "George" had significant and lasting impacts, contributing to systemic inequalities and the challenges faced by Black porters:

• Loss of Identity: Porters faced a constant erasure of their personal names, reducing them to an interchangeable and subservient role, rather than recognizing them as unique individuals with their own identities and skills.
• Reinforcement of Stereotypes: The uniform application of "George" perpetuated the stereotype of Black men as being interchangeable and always available for service, reflecting the racial prejudices and expectations of the era.
• Systemic Inequality: This naming convention was a subtle yet powerful component of the broader systemic inequalities and racial prejudice faced by Black porters, who, despite providing essential services and contributing significantly to the economy, endured poor working conditions and low wages.

The table below summarizes the key aspects of why sleeping car porters were called "George":