EVERY SUNDAY – Los Angeles
Visit The African American Firefighter Museum! The African American Firefighter Museum is dedicated to promote diversity and to stand up for inequality against all races and genders.
The first floor contains vintage fire apparatus, stories and pictures of pioneering African American Los Angeles Firefighters. The Museum gallery is located on the second floor with pictures, artifacts and other memorabilia of African American Firefighters from around the country.
OPEN EVERY SUNDAY FROM 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
1401 S Central Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90021
HISTORY
The AAFFM opened it’s doors as a Museum on December 13, 1997. The dedication of the Museum also served as the acknowledgement of what was believed to be the city’s first 100 years of service by African American Firefighters (1897-1997). In 2002, the Los Angeles Times contacted the AAFFM and stated they had discovered factual information to indicate the history started before 1897 with a man named Sam Haskins, who was listed as the first Los Angeles Fireman of African decent when he was hired in 1892 and killed while responding to a fire in 1895.
Today the Museum is open to the public and is strictly volunteer and donation driven. It is a 501 c(3) non-profit organization and it is available for use by organizations and individuals that desire to host events such as; meetings, luncheons, dinners, banquets, book signings, film viewings, jazz festivals, social dances, receptions and retreats. Our beloved historian, 96 year old retired Firefighter Arnett Hartsfield, who passed away in 2014 was our most cherished volunteer. As a Los Angeles Firefighter during the 1940s and 50’s he lead the integration of the Los Angeles Fire Department. As a graduate of USC law school, he and his fellow firemen known as the Stentorians, the NAACP and the local community were instrumental in successfully integrating the LAFD. The stories of the men that endured that horrific fight are told by the museum’s photographs, paintings, and artifacts.
MISSION STATEMENT
The African American Fire Fighter Museum is dedicated to collecting, conserving, and sharing the heritage of African American Fire Fighters through collaboration and education.
For additional information, visit the website @
www.aaffmuseum.org
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