SAINT PAUL, Minn. - On Saturday, March 11, State Representative Samakab Hussein (DFL-Saint Paul) spoke at the historic Twin Tracks Exhibit Dedication. The Minnesota Transportation Museum celebrated the career, lives, stories and legacies of African American railway workers in the 20th century.
Representative Samakab Hussein released the following statement,
“We are living in times when all Americans need to be recognized for what they bring to our nation and our communities, and that includes recognizing those who came before us. It is imperative our children and community learn about the significant impact African American railway workers had on building the infrastructure of Minnesota and contributions to our state’s history. I commend the Minnesota Transportation Museum and the Minnesota Historical Society for investing money, time and effort into the preservation of the important history. I am proud that the stories of Minnesota’s African American railway workers are being preserved here, at the Jackson Street Roundhouse. It is an honor to learn more about our unsung heroes and the immense innovation they contributed to our state. In the Minnesota Legislature, we are working hard to continue building on the foundation put in place by Minnesotans of the last century and before.”
The Twin Cities headquartered three transcontinental railways constructed in the 1880s that transported passengers and goods to the east or west coasts. In the early 1900s, when many other businesses refused to hire African Americans, the Pullman Company, a railway car manufacturer, became the largest employer of Black men in the nation. African American workers helped build the railroad systems and provided services to passengers. The Minnesota Transportation Museum is taking the initiative to tell their stories by creating a new exhibit opening called “Twin Tracks.”