Pullman: From Labor Strife To Historic Monument

(CBS) -- President Barack Obama on Thursday honored the historic South Side neighborhood of Pullman, where African-American railroad workers won a significant labor agreement.

The president reflected on the importance of the site, saying it holds a special place in his memory of his time in Chicago.

CBS 2's Dorothy Tucker reports.

Community groups that worked so hard for this moment reflected on a job well done. The journey started as a way to preserve an important piece of Chicago and African-American history.

The centerpiece of the town was a luxury hotel built circa 1880.

It was considered a showcase for what railroad titan George Pullman called the perfect town. Here, he produced the sleeper cars that set the standard for rail travel.

Ray Quiroz and his brother Al worked at the factory for over 20 years.

"I couldn't wait to get to work because I had fun," Ray says.

The shell of the factory is a reminder of its historic significance.

During the Great Pullman Strike of 1884, Pullman lost contracts as he cut wages and jobs, historian Mike Wagenbach says.

"Most of your trade unions that were rail-connected refused to move anything that was Pullman," says.

The battle lay the ground work for America's unions. By 1925, the company acknowledged the first all-black union, the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters.

Bernadette Tucker-Duck's grandfather spent nearly 50 years working the Pullman trains. These were among the first jobs providing a middle-class lifestyle for African Americans.

"He considered himself a very blessed person," she says, "thanking God for allowing him to be in a position where he could be comfortable."