Building Community Strength
Our Mission is to improve the quality of life for economically disadvantage families by providing the necessary resources that improve their standard of living, foster self improvement, self empowerment and self sufficiency for those disenfranchised by situation, circumstance or indifference.
Our Founders
Asa Philip Randolph
On April 15, 1889, a Great man by the name of Asa Philip Randolph was born in Crescent City. He moved to New York City where he studied economics and philosophy at the City College of New York.
While in New York, Mr. Randolph spent the rest of his life working in the low income and union community building strong people; while he did not know it at the time becoming one of the most influential, servant and transformational leaders in history.
In 1917, Mr. Randolph founded a magazine, The Messenger (later the Black Worker), which campaigned for black civil rights, educated the black community and celebrated black accomplishments.
Mr. Randolph was involved in organizing black workers in laundry/clothes factories, cinemas and the Pullman Porters. On August 25, 1925, the organization of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) was announced. In 1929, Mr. Randolph became president of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters. Over the next few years he built it into the first successful black Trade Union. The BSCP were members of the American Federation of Labor (AFL) but in protest against its failure to fight discrimination in its ranks, Randolph took his union into the Congress of Industrial Organizations (CIO).
In 1936, A. Philip Randolph was drafted presidency of a new organization called the National Negro Congress (NNC). The NNC was made up of a few groups, which planned to build a black mass movement, by working with and through trade unions
In 1940, he helped establish the Union for Democratic Action (today called Americans for Democratic Action), a political organization advocating for fair policies and for the preservation and extension of democratic values both at home and abroad.
The Civil Rights Revolution, which began in the 1950’s, was a result of his efforts and the work of men like himself. Even when he had become an ''elder statesmen" his passion for justice remained as youthful and vigorous as ever. He continued to plan and organize activities such as the 1957 Prayer Pilgrimage for the civil rights bill, the 1958 and 1959 marches for school integration.
In 1963, Mr. Randolph became involved in the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom which bought together men and women from all creeds fighting for the rights that we have today.
In his final years, Mr. Randolph worked closely with Mr. Bayard Rustin and the AFL-CIO to establish the A. Philip Randolph Institute.
On May 16, 1979, this great man died leaving behind this wonderful legacy that union members, blacks and believers in human rights fight for.
Living the name of Mr. Randolph, the North Carolina A. Philip Randolph Institute works to ensure that the voices of those who are disenfranchised by the hands of law makers are not over looked. The North Carolina A. Philip Randolph Institute works year around to register voters, educate the community about their rights as voters, citizens and workers.
Bayard Rustin
On March 17, 1912, a brilliant man by the name of Bayard Rustin was born. Mr. Rustin was reared in West Chester, Pennsylvania where he excelled as a student, athlete and musician. He attended Wilberforce University, Cheyney State College, the City College of New York, and the London School of Economics.
Mr. Rustin was active in the struggle for human rights and economic justice for over 50 years.
In 1941, he began a long association with the Fellowship of Reconciliation (FOR). Serving as its Race Relations Secretary, he toured the country conducting Race Relations Institutes designed to facilitate communication and understanding between racial groups.
In 1947, Bayard Rustin took part in a demonstration to test enforcement of the 1946 Irene Morgan Case decision outlawing discrimination in interstate travel. Known as the “Journey of Reconciliation” this protest was a model for the Freedom Rides of the 1960’s. Arrested in North Carolina, he served 30 days on a chain gang. His account of that experience, serialized in The New York Post, spurred an investigation, which resulted in the abolition of chain gangs in North Carolina.
Mr. Rustin directed A. Philip Randolph’s Committee against Discrimination in the Armed Forces, which was instrumental in securing President Truman’s order eliminating segregation in the Armed Forces. Mr. Rustin assisted Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. in the early days of the Montgomery Alabama Bus Boycott. His extensive background in the theory, strategies, and tactics of nonviolent action proved invaluable and were the foundation of this close association with Dr. King.
Mr. Rustin organized the Prayer Pilgrimage for Freedom in 1957, the National Youth Marches for Integrated Schools in 1958 and 1959, and was the Deputy Director and Chief Organizer of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
In 1964, Bayard Rustin helped found the A. Philip Randolph Institute. During that time, the Institute had 200 local affiliates involved in voter registration drives and programs designed to strengthen relations between the black community and the labor movement.
Mr. Rustin was a long-time supporter of worker’s rights participating in many strikes and in the formation of the Recruitment and Training Programs (R-T-P) which successfully upgraded and increased minority participation in construction trades. Mr. Rustin supported human rights struggles worldwide and traveled the world working to secure food, medical care, education, and proper resettlement for refugees. In 1975, Bayard Rustin organized the Black Americans to Support Israel Committee (BASIC).
Mr. Rustin was Co-Chairman of the A. Philip Randolph Institute and President of the A. Philip Randolph Educational Fund.
On August 24, 1987, this brilliant man died leaving behind his life long partner Walter Naegle and a wonderful legacy that union members, blacks and believers of human rights fight for.
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