Box 1, Folder 14, Document 49

Box 1, Folder 14, Document 49

CITY OF ATLANTA
8 August 1969

Memorandum Regarding Beseaimingrion: Ageanes Black Ramemen Of Atlanta |

® ~ aoa eS ae ae :
- + To: Mayor Ivan Allen, Chairman Board of Firemasters, Alderman_Wm, ..T.
Bete _ Knight and Atlanta Fire Chief Paul 0. Williams a Sa ay:
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From; Black Firemen of Atlanta 25 en =

The Black firefighters of Atlanta are dedicated municipal employees, ,
concerned 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-- - |
crimination and abuses as outlined below. We request that immediate.
action be taken to correct these practices, and that on or before Monday, -

August 18, 1969 that we receive a formal report on your actions in corrette
ing the actions cited herein: J -
a 7

I, HIRING PRACTICES cress 1 | ee:
sa} tsa as
The ratio of Black Firemen to White Firemen does not correspon

to the population of Black citizens in Atlanta. There are about 90 to
100 Black Firemen in a department of more than 900 men. Black~Fizremen 9

. that are drafted into the armed services are replaced by white firemen/ ¢(, 7






II. SEGREGATED SLEEPING & LOCKER SSSR ENeNS

Lockers and beds of Black Firemen are placed in the back or away | !
from the white firemen. |

III. RECREATION CLUB



The membership was closed the year Black Firemen wor
1963, Land was given to the club by the government on Leph hee Allatoona. ee 3 acres)

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IV. PROMOTIONAL DISCRIMINATION (© ome tintin 6 .
Black Firemen should be included in ‘every department. White fires
men with less time and experience are promoted- to driver-positions. — ‘Black |
Firemen with 5 and 6 years should be promoted to Lieutenants, because the ~~;
entire officer cabinet is made up of all white officers. Most of these
officers have been known-to-forcetheir-prejudices-on Black Firemen. We
-s=are aware 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 proper precedent. We consider this an emergency-because of the
overall discrimination in the department. White drivers are giving up their b
positions 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 z> OF
the chiefs dominated the list. Some of these Lieutenants didn't place in :
the top 40 on the Lieutenants list. ‘Now they are captains.

V. EXPERIENCE AND LENGTH OF TIME ON THE DEPARTMENT ; met

Acting officers, we feel that every Black Firemen with the time
and experience, equal to any white firemen, should be.given the opportunity

to be an acting officer. This applies to extra drivers. House dyties
should be picked according to seniority. [SoS ee fom \

VI. STANDARD SET OF RULES FOR ALL C INS

Each shift is operated different, captain authority has no limit.
He forces personal prejudices on Black Firemen. Transfer of men to other °

stations. ; fs Aerts, Phe AMhe |
eS obgartien fo lf. |
FOR CONTACT: Fireman William Hamer : fo ogg :
195 Hermer Circle, N. W. + Sa . ets
Atlanta, Georgia 30311 | hc
Plephone - 794-2244 —,
a a a. se-s5
Fire Station 16 on C Shift | en

Telephone 523-5786