A. PHILIP RANDOLPH

The American Federation of Teachers deeply mourns the death of A. Philip Randolph. No other American in this century has done more to eliminate racial discrimination in our society and to improve the condition of working people.

But even in our sadness we should take a moment to reflect on the meaning of his life. Five important principles guided him:

• Essential to the struggle for equality and justice is the direct participation of the victims of injustice.

• As minorities struggle for social and economic democracy every attempt must be made to deepen and widen our base of support and isolate our enemies.

• The effectiveness of a strategy or program is measured by its impact on masses of people, not by the advancement of a single individual or group.

• Freedom and equality for blacks depends on the successful advancement of economic and human rights for all people regardless of race, creed or national origin.

• The most effective vehicle for the advancement of blacks, other minorities and all working people is the trade union movement.

A. Philip Randolph was a universal teacher, a warrior for social and economic justice and a champion of human rights. Through his accomplishments he not only ushered in the modern civil rights movement, but he transformed the labor movement into a powerful ally of the drive for racial equality.

His wisdom, his penetrating example and his vibrant humanity will live if we pay tribute to him by rededicating ourselves to the ideals which he espoused so eloquently and defended so many years.

We have all been affected by the life of this great man. Our organization, our society and, indeed, the world is a better place because of A. Philip Randolph.