Annual A. Philip Randolph “Gentle Warrior Awards” Gala

Fri, Feb 20, 2026, 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm CT

WINTRUST'S GRAND BANKING HALL
231 S La Salle St
Chicago, Illinois 60604, United States (US)

20Feb

About the Event

On Friday, February 20, 2026, the National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum (NAPRPPM) will celebrate its 31st founding Anniversary and will host the 2026 A. Philip Randolph “Gentle Warrior Awards” Gala. This is our annual primary fundraiser.

The event will take place from 6:30 to 10:30 p.m. at WINTRUST Grand Banking Hall located at 231 S La Salle St, Chicago, IL 60604 (Valet parking available) –  Tickets start at $250.00

The Gentle Warrior Awards Black-Tie Gala Fundraiser is always attended by a diverse roster of labor union leadership, Chicago’s “Who’s Who” and an impressive list of museum supporters.  It’s one of the most highly anticipated labor events of the year.

This year, we are excited to welcome celebrity co-hosts, NBC 5 Co-Anchor Michelle Relerford, and Marseil Jackson, iHeart radio co-host for The Brunch Bunch on 1390 AM.

Here are highlights from previous Gentle Warrior Awards.

 

Purchase tickets, submit a personal congratulatory ad to appear in the 31st Anniversary Souvenir Ad Book, and secure sponsorship, right from this page.

Click here to Download the Sponsor Packet (PDF)

Click here to Download the Ad Form & Size Requirements (PDF)

 

 

This year’s honorees in both the A. Philip Randolph Gentle Warrior Award and the Change Agent have not only invoked change but have demanded change throughout their community, politics, and policies.

2026 Honorees:

  • James Connolly, Chicago Laborers District Council
  • Juan Campos, Secretary Treasurer, International Brotherhood of Teamsters, Local 705
  • Keith Richardson, General President, American Postal Workers Local 1
  • Ephrin Jenkins, Founder and President of The Black Labor Week Project, Inc
  • Larita Clark, CEO of Metropolitan Pier Exposition Authority (MPEA)
  • Kimberly Du Buclet, Illinois State Representative, 5th District
  • Dr. Kisha McCaskill, Commissioner, Cook County 5th District
  • Tracy Murray, Descendant of Distinction. Great-grand Niece of Pullman Porters, Chief of Staff for City of Chicago 9th Ward Alderman
  • Spencer Senior and Henrietta Leak, Leak and Sons Funeral Home Enterprises
  • Shermann “Dilla” Thomas, Chicago Mahogany Tours

A. Philip Randolph organized the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first black labor union in America, chartered under the American Federation of Labor (AFL). Randolph was one of America’s foremost labor and civil rights leaders, who became known as the “Gentle Warrior.” The Gentle Warrior Award is presented to individuals who exhibit the similar commitment, focus, and tenacity that Randolph displayed throughout his career.

Past recipients of the prestigious award include individuals from the broader community, including those from business, politics, and organized labor. Past honorees from labor include Elizabeth H. Shuler, president of the 58 unions and 12.5 million members of the AFL-CIO, and Fredrick D. Redmond, the secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO.

The NAPRPP Museum is a 501 (c) 3, cultural institution located in the Pullman National Monument that was designated by President Barack Obama in 2015. Founded in 1995, the NAPRPPM is the only museum of its kind worldwide.

The museum is a public, independently operated Black labor history museum that promotes critical lessons that cross age, class, color, and gender boundaries, carrying messages critical to our society. Successful “Gentle Warrior Awards” events play a significant role in our operational budget and enable us to continue this vital work! 

The promise of the 2026 fundraising event holds significant meaning — It presents a vehicle for the labor community to demonstrate, in a substantial way, appreciation for one of its own.  The funds generated by this awards event will contribute to the museum’s expansion project.

Location

WINTRUST'S GRAND BANKING HALL
231 S La Salle St
Chicago, Illinois 60604, United States (US)

Date and Time

Fri, Feb 20, 2026, 6:30 pm - 10:30 pm CT

Event Sponsored By

Sales Ended

Refund Policy

No refunds offered.

Organizer

National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum
The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum was founded in 1995 by Dr. Lyn Hughes. The facility is located in the Historic Pullman District in Chicago Illinois. The museum is named after men who made history – Asa Philip Randolph and Pullman Porters, the men who made up the membership of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) union. Randolph was the chief organizer and co-founder of the BSCP, the first African-American labor union in the country to win a collective bargaining agreement. Under Randolph’s leadership, the Pullman Porters fought a valiant battle for employment equality with the corporate giant, the Pullman Rail Car Company.
Their pioneering efforts created the first bonafide union for African-American workers. This victorious struggle in America’s early labor movement was also the doorway through which many civil rights gains were made.
The NAPRPPM  is locally recognized as a historic site and is a unique addition to the tourism sites of the Pullman community of Chicago, Illinois. The Museum is also nationally recognized as a valuable and unique African-American museum. The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum pays tribute to one of the most influential African-American leaders in history. A. Philip Randolph redefined American labor, American democracy, and American society, during a time when it was unsafe and unpopular. Randolph demanded that African-American people be fully and equally included in American society. A. Philip Randolph was an articulate, intelligent, and fair leader who devoted decades of his life to his vision of a more moral and civilized American society. A. Philip Randolph was a great man, a great humanitarian, and a great American.
contact the organizer
View Organizer Profile & Events

Organizer

National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum
The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum was founded in 1995 by Dr. Lyn Hughes. The facility is located in the Historic Pullman District in Chicago Illinois. The museum is named after men who made history – Asa Philip Randolph and Pullman Porters, the men who made up the membership of the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters (BSCP) union. Randolph was the chief organizer and co-founder of the BSCP, the first African-American labor union in the country to win a collective bargaining agreement. Under Randolph’s leadership, the Pullman Porters fought a valiant battle for employment equality with the corporate giant, the Pullman Rail Car Company.
Their pioneering efforts created the first bonafide union for African-American workers. This victorious struggle in America’s early labor movement was also the doorway through which many civil rights gains were made.
The NAPRPPM  is locally recognized as a historic site and is a unique addition to the tourism sites of the Pullman community of Chicago, Illinois. The Museum is also nationally recognized as a valuable and unique African-American museum. The National A. Philip Randolph Pullman Porter Museum pays tribute to one of the most influential African-American leaders in history. A. Philip Randolph redefined American labor, American democracy, and American society, during a time when it was unsafe and unpopular. Randolph demanded that African-American people be fully and equally included in American society. A. Philip Randolph was an articulate, intelligent, and fair leader who devoted decades of his life to his vision of a more moral and civilized American society. A. Philip Randolph was a great man, a great humanitarian, and a great American.
contact the organizer
View Organizer Profile & Events

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