▁eventually ▁studied ▁chem istry . ▁He ▁graduated ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 4 , ▁but ▁could ▁not ▁find ▁meaning ful , ▁well - pa id ▁work . ▁When ▁African ▁American ▁rail road ▁workers ▁requested ▁equal ▁pay ▁to ▁their ▁white ▁counter parts , ▁the ▁Canadian ▁National ▁Railway ▁stopped ▁employ ing ▁them ▁and ▁replaced ▁their ▁African ▁American ▁employees ▁white ▁ones . ▁ ▁Career ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 2 9 ▁Town send ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁United ▁States , ▁where ▁he ▁worked ▁in ▁a ▁high ▁school ▁in ▁Texas . ▁He ▁moved ▁to ▁Chicago , ▁where ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Ad ler ▁Psych ological ▁Labor atory ▁as ▁a ▁mess enger . ▁He ▁began ▁to ▁work ▁as ▁a ▁por ter ▁on ▁the ▁rail road . ▁Sur pr ised ▁by ▁the ▁working ▁conditions , ▁Town send ▁joined ▁the ▁American ▁Federation ▁of ▁Labor ▁A ux ili ary ▁of ▁Red ▁C aps . ▁Red ▁caps ▁are ▁rail road ▁station ▁por ters , ▁and ▁were ▁pre domin antly ▁African - American ▁in ▁the ▁early ▁ 1 9 0 0 s . ▁Town send ▁was ▁elected ▁President ▁of ▁the ▁A FL ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 6 , ▁and ▁formed ▁the ▁international ▁United ▁Transport ▁Service ▁Emp loy ees ▁from ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁The ▁United ▁Transport ▁Service ▁Emp loy ees ▁( UT SE ) ▁was ▁originally ▁known ▁as ▁the ▁International ▁Bro ther hood ▁of ▁Red c aps , ▁but ▁changed ▁their ▁name ▁after ▁inv iting ▁pull man ▁la und ry ▁workers ▁to ▁join . ▁He ▁was ▁supported ▁by ▁Leon ▁M . ▁Des