Homage to Norman Thomas

A. Philip Randolph

Throughout my life I have drawn much of my inspiration as a socialist from Norman Thomas. I learned from him, as well as from Eugene Victor Debs, that the struggle for racial justice is organically tied to the struggle for political and economic justice.

Over the years, Thomas was one of the people that I could always depend upon in times of great stress. During the building of The Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters I often sought his advice, and he consistently responded with counsel that was both practical and humane.

Thomas was the symbol of the total American man. Whether he was fighting to liberate children from the harshness of the sweatshops or to obtain justice for Sacco ...