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Boss of the Grips

The Life of James H. Williams and the Red Caps of Grand Central Terminal

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Boss of the Grips

Written by: Eric K. Washington
Narrated by: David Sadzin
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About this listen

A long-overdue biography of the head of Grand Central Terminal's Red Caps, who flourished in the cultural nexus of Harlem and American railroads.

In a feat of remarkable research and timely reclamation, Eric K. Washington uncovers the nearly forgotten life of James H. Williams (1878-1948), the chief porter of Grand Central Terminal's Red Caps - a multitude of Harlem-based Black men whom he organized into the essential labor force of America's most august railroad station. Washington reveals that despite the highly racialized and often exploitative nature of the work, the Red Cap was a highly coveted job for college-bound Black men determined to join New York's bourgeoning middle class. Examining the deeply intertwined subjects of class, labor, and African American history, Washington chronicles Williams's life, showing how the enterprising son of freed slaves successfully navigated the segregated world of the northern metropolis, and in so doing ultimately achieved financial and social influence. With this biography, Williams must now be considered, along with Cornelius Vanderbilt and Jacqueline Onassis, one of the great heroes of Grand Central's storied past.

©2019 Eric K. Washington (P)2019 HighBridge, a division of Recorded Books Americas Historical Railroad Transportation New York
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Profile Image for Roberta W

Great NYC history

If you’re like me, I’m charmed by the history of New York’s Grand Central Station, so I was glad to have this very human story retold. Thank goodness it has not been lost! While richly told with regards to the Red Caps, this is as much a history of black America, so I learned a lot. Highly recommended for history buffs.

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