Still proud today, My husband was the first black Fire fighter in our town Flagstaff, Az. In the beginning he was a volunteer and finally took the test necessary to become a Firefighter. Some of the other firemen didn't want him there and tried to make it hard the first 6 month, he stood up for himself and showed them that he was good at what he was doing. For 10 years he was the only black fireman, since he and the other man retired there have not been another one in our town, another interesting tidbit, there have never been a black police officer there.
My husband started the first arson investigating there, and would you believe another man took credit for that, recently we went by city hall to see the secretary there and some of the newer firefighters shook his hand and said how great it was to meet him and that he is still known around the city as one of the best. He also started on Christmas Eve going through the city with bags of goodies for the children with a black santa, we would go to Phoenix to the orchards and pick fresh oranges and lemons (those were for me). It was something else seeing the children waiting for the fire truck, today the children have to go to City Hall to get the bag of treats, but what he started over 30 years ago is still going strong today, just
in a different manner. Still Proud today. Barbara