Oakland exhibit honors Pullman railroad porters

OAKLAND, Calif. - A special experience is about to open in Oakland in celebration of Black History Month.  

Organizers of an audio and light show called "Binding Ties" held a rehearsal on Wednesday night. The show is projected on the walls of the historic train station in West Oakland.

It tells the stories of Black Pullman railroad porters, who started working on-board trains shortly after the civil war, serving passengers.

They would eventually help shape a black middle class.

"It honors people no longer here and speaks to the history of African American endeavors. Bravery. Agency," said theater artist Stephanie Ann Johnson. "We're telling history with this archival material which is 35mm slides turned into a digital format. So we have history meeting contemporary technology."

The audio and light show opens to the public on Friday, and runs through the end of the month.