Sleeping Car Porters

Discover the Black sleeping car porters whose railway work connected them to Strathcona and their struggle against discrimination in Vancouver.

Railway jobs brought Black porters to the stations near Strathcona. The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters fought discrimination in employment and housing; in 1945 it signed a contract with CP Rail, a milestone for a union organized by Black men in Canada.

One of ten stories about Vancouver’s historic Black community in Strathcona. Explore the historic map, read the community timeline, or use the Black Strathcona student study guide.