.MzMy.MzMy

-- - - - -- --· -.-------- .. -- ---· CITY OF ATLANTA 8 August J.969 ,. Memoran dum Regarding Discrimination .Against Black Firemen Of Atlanta • .. To: . ', -- ~ . ' Mayor Ivun All an , Chairman Board of Firema sters-, AJderma-n__Wm. :. T• Knight and Atlanta Fire Chief Paul o• .Williams - -~ --.. . __·- --'--- ----~ -- --- Black Firemen of Atlanta From: - - The Black firefighters of Atlanta are dedicated municipal empl~ee ~, _ ., , concerne d with the safety and welfare of our city and all of its citizens ~ During the years of our tenure as firemen we have been subjected to dis-·criminatio n and abuses as outlined below. We r equest that imma diate _ action be t aken to correct ·these practices, and that on or before Mond~y, August 18, 1969 that \'.'e receive a formal report on your 1ie.:t io ns in cor~ ~ ing t he acti ons cited herein: / ---.. . 0 ~ I. HIRING PRACTICES The ratio of Black Firemen to White Firemen -dR__es not correspon - to th-e: population of Black citizens in Atlanta. There are-- about 90 to 100 Black Firemen in a department of more than 900 men. Blac k--Eiremen that are drafted into the armed servic~s are replaced by _w.hite firemen II. SEGREGATED SLEEPING & LOCKER A'\RANGEMENTS J Lockers and beds of Black Firemen are placed in the back or away from the white firemen. III. RECREATION CLUB _, _ _ . , , ~ ~-· ,_,.....,,.,, <>rt ' '" ~ " The membership was clo~ed t he year Black Firemen wcro hired i~ Land was given to the club by the governme,P._t on Lake Allatoona~l3 acres) ~I C ~ ,-..rt>-/ --fvr~, ¥__ 4 ~ ~ u °' ) 1 IV. PROMOTIONAL DISCRIMINATION l__io~ o-w--t ~ ~ 1 !~~:a-.... . - i - Black Firemen should be included in every department. White fi.u~ r.ien with less time and experience are promoted·· to -dr-i-ve1 posltion _s~~dlack Firemen with 5 and 6 years should be promoted to Lieutenanti; because the entire officer cabinet is made up of all white officers. Most of these officers h ay__e. be en k o o v-n+-t-o..-f--G-:i.~-r--p-r-e--j-t2·d±c-e-s- on- a-l-a ck Firemen. We =- -are ..a\'1ar e of the test for Lieutenants, but in a time of an emergency men have been promoted wholesale from private to captains within a year, thus_ setting pr oper precedent. We consider this an emerge_n_cy ..-heG-al:t'Se-- -o-f tne overall discrimination in the department. White drivers are giving up their po&itions because they know future Lieutenants are going to be appointed by Chiefs.· This is true because in the last captain's test the aides of all the chief s dominated the list. Some of these Lieutenants didn't place in the top 40 on the Lieutenants list. Now they are captains .. ~ t I 0 V. EXPERIENCE AND LENGTH OF TI ME ON THE DEPARTMENT Acting officers. we feel that every Black Fi remen with the time and experience, equal to· any white firemen, should be . given .the opportunity , to be an ac~i ng office~: This ap~li~s to ~,tra driverso House d)ies should be picked accord i ng to sen10,:-J_ty . . . _ G.,.J . . \ s ~ -h;nv- c,,t.;x · VI. I · ·v v STNJDN~D SET OF RULES FOR ALL cAnArNS Each shift is operat ed different, captain authority has no limit. He forces personal prejudices on Black Firemen. Transfer of men to other stations. ( ~ I ' ~ ~ .A!~ FOR COrITACT: -- --· l Fireman William Hamer 195 Hermer Circle , N. W. Atlanta, Georg'ia 30311 - -elephon e - 794-2244 --- --- __ _ or -- -Fire Station 16 on C Shift Telephone 523-5786 . . ,~ ~ °'M/u . __________ · ·· I , . ,. ad _; �