George Mortimer Pullman (March 3, 1831 – October 19, 1897) was an
American engineer and industrialist. He designed and manufactured the
Pullman sleeping car and founded a
company town,
Pullman, for the workers who manufactured it. His Pullman Company also hired African-American men to staff the Pullman cars, who became known and widely respected as Pullman porters, providing elite service.