Asa Philip Randolph – The Most Dangerous Negro in America

Asa Philip Randolph
Nowadays black men have an overall negative image. Not so many years ago a Hollywood director in one of his documentaries even made mention of how black males are made to seem so dangerous by the media. Although Asa Randolph, the subject of our Black History reflection today was referred to by his opponents as “the most dangerous negro in America” he was not a thug and didn’t even believe in violence.
Asa Randolph was the son of a minister and a seamstress. A very bright student he attended the only high school for African Americans in the state of Florida at that time and was valedictorian of his class when he graduated.
When African American workers were being excluded from defense jobs Randolph put together a protest march on Washington which made President Franklin Roosevelt establish the wartime Fair Employment Practice Committee. The League for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience Against Military Segregation was also founded by Randolph and was instrumental in making President Harry Truman end segregation in the armed forces.
It is because of this ability to lead people and effect change that he was given the title of “the most dangerous negro in America”. But, because of those changes the patriarch has been remembered by numerous school buildings, a museum and a city street being named in his honor.  In addition statues of Randolph have been erected in Union Station in D.C. and Back Bay train station in Boston. His contributions have also earned him the coveted spot on a postal stamp as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon Johnson.
What is it that makes you dangerous?
 Nowadays black men have an overall negative image. Not so many years ago a Hollywood director in one of his documentaries even made mention of how black males are made to seem so dangerous by the media. Although Asa Philip Randolph, the subject of our Black History reflection today was referred to by his opponents as “the most dangerous negro in America” he was not a thug and didn’t even believe in violence.


Asa Randolph was the son of a minister and a seamstress. A very bright student he attended the only high school for African Americans in the state of Florida at that time and was valedictorian of his class when he graduated.

When African American workers were being excluded from defense jobs Randolph put together a protest march on Washington which made President Franklin Roosevelt establish the wartime Fair Employment Practice Committee. The League for Nonviolent Civil Disobedience Against Military Segregation was also founded by Randolph and was instrumental in making President Harry Truman end segregation in the armed forces.

It is because of this ability to lead people and effect change that he was given the title of “the most dangerous negro in America”. But, because of those changes the patriarch has been remembered by numerous school buildings, a museum and a city street being named in his honor.  In addition statues of Randolph have been erected in Union Station in D.C. and Back Bay train station in Boston. His contributions have also earned him the coveted spot on a postal stamp as well as the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon Johnson.

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What is it that makes you dangerous?


Also Check Out:
The Story Behind Black History Month
Charles Hamilton Houston – Civil Rights Attorney
Althea Gibson – Early Black Dominance in Sports
Hubert Julian – The Black Eagle

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