Pullman

Pullman is a surname and place name that most often refers to the Pullman Car Company and its line of railroad sleeping cars, named after its founder George Pullman. The term also designates several locations in the United States, notably the city of Pullman, Washington, and the historic Pullman neighborhood in Chicago.

The Pullman Car Company, established in Chicago in the 1860s, manufactured comfortable railroad passenger cars, most famously the Pullman sleeping car. By the late 19th century the company dominated sleeper car production in the United States. In addition to cars, the firm built a model town around its factory to house workers, later known as the Pullman area of Chicago. The brand and its cars shaped long-distance rail travel for decades.

The Pullman Company was at the center of major labor conflicts, including the 1894 Pullman Strike, when workers protested wage reductions and poor conditions. Led by the American Railway Union and Eugene V. Debs, the strike spread nationwide and ended with federal intervention and a Supreme Court case, affecting labor relations for years.

The Pullman workforce included the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, formed in 1925 and led by A. Philip Randolph. It became the first predominantly African American union to negotiate with a major corporation, contributing to later civil rights advances.

Beyond industry, Pullman remains a place name associated with several communities. The city of Pullman, Washington, is in the Palouse region and hosts a university town anchored by Washington State University. The Chicago neighborhood of Pullman is a National Historic Landmark.

In addition to places, Pullman is a surname; notable individuals include George Pullman, industrialist and founder of the Pullman Car Company, whose legacy includes both the railway cars and the company town concept.