Black Heroes of Fire:: The History of the First African American Fire Company in Chicago - Fire Engine Company 21

By Dekalb Walcott

This exposé introduces and describes the background of the members of Engine 21.  Engine 21 was Chicago’s first organized paid African American Firefighting Company. The writer provides information and insight on changes from Slavery to Freedom in the African American Community and the political impact that affected change for

• Language: English
• Publisher: Black Heroes of Fire Publishing Company
• Release date: Jan 1, 2019
• ISBN: 9781495178351

Dekalb Walcott

Retired Battalion Chief Dekalb E. Walcott Jr. served 31 years as a Chicago firefighter starting his career in November 1978 as a 30-day wonder and hired during affirmative action. Chicago Fire Department was short of personnel, as a result Fire Academy training only lasted 30 days. Throughout his career Dekalb served as Firefighter to Battalion Chief along with serving in fire prevention and public education. He has received numerous awards for community service, served as Chairman for Black Firefighters day and was responsible for helping Chicago establish a smoke detector and carbon monoxide ordinance in the mid 1980's. Dekalb sponsored a 100-photo pictorial display during Black History month in February of 1984 honoring Chicago's unsung Black Heroes of Fire, which started his career as Chicago's Black Firefighter historian. Dekalb has served on the executive board of the African American Firefighters and Paramedic League of Chicago as historian, corresponding secretary, sergeant at arms, vice president and President. Today he spends his time researching black firefighter history and publishing its work. He is married to his wife of 34 years and has two sons: Dekalb is a 10-year firefighter and Matthew is a student with law school aspirations.

Book preview

Special Tribute

to all NOBLE Line of Duty Death

(LODD) Members

This special tribute is dedicated to those unselfish courageous noble Firefighters both black and white; slave and free; who paid the ultimate price while serving to protect life and property.

Acknowledgements

The conception of this book would not be possible without the blood, sweat and tears of the heroic black firefighters who came before; particularly, the members serving on Engine 21 following this fire company’s organization in December 21, 1872.

I would like to extend my heartfelt appreciation to all who played a role in helping me to organize my thoughts, material, motivation and financial resources in accomplishing this goal of writing about Engine 21. There are so many people who have made a contribution to this book that I dare not try to name them all for fear that I may leave someone out, but I will name a few.  It is my desire to clear up any misconceptions of Engine 21 being the first organized paid black fire company in the United States; moreover, to establish that David B. Kenyon (1836-1884) and the members of Engine 21 created and made popular the concept of the sliding pole in the Fire Service.

A special thanks to Lykee B. Davis and Amber Bailey for their research and thesis; Firefighting in Antebellum South and Engine 21: An experiment in democracy in an era of Reconstruction, 1872-1927. Also, Ken Little and John McNalis for their overall knowledge of the Chicago Fire Department and for allowing me to use their life long research material, the History of Chicago Fire Houses. Their publications proved vital to this publication and all have contributed a great deal of information, stories, photos and knowledge. Thanks to publisher, Yvonne Rose of Quality Press, Amber Communications Group, for her patience and direction.

Lastly, I would like to thank the following individuals for their overwhelming support made towards the publication of this book. My wonderful wife, Cherry Walcott, for her unwavering support and countless hours of consultation with respect to authoring this book.  Mr. James Winbush, Mr. Les Outerbridge, History Professor Dr. Christopher Reed, Mr. Allen Williams, Mr. Morris Davis and the Ole Tymers organization, the Black Fire Brigade, the African American Firefighters Museum of Los Angeles, and the African American Firefighters and Paramedics of Chicago where this entire idea started. I owe Mr. Michael Gillespie many thanks for the book design and overall outlook to help make this a scholarly nonfictional book worth reading. Finally, thanks to retired Deputy Fire Commissioner Les Noy, Sherry Williams and Dr. Phylistine Murphy for their assistance in editing this document.

All profits from the sale of this publication will be donated to the Chicago African American Firefighters Museum. I hope this publication will inspire and encourage other firefighters to research their departments’ rich history and tell their story of courage, valor and bravery to preserve life and property.

CONTENTS

Special Tribute  to all NOBLE Line of Duty Death (LODD) Members

Acknowledgements

Contents

Preface

ONE: Black Heroes of Fire

TWO: Engine 21, Chicago’s  first Black fire company

THREE: Chicago’s Reconstruction Era

FOUR: The Great Fires

FIVE: Captain Kenyon’s Sliding Pole

SIX: The 19th Century

SEVEN: Photos to Depict the Challenges and Changes of Chicago’s Black Community

EIGHT: The 20th Century

NINE: Expansion of Chicago’s  Black Community

In Conclusion

About the Author

The Chicago African American  Firefighters Museum

Chicago’s First Citizen in the 1790’s

Chicago’s Great Black Heroes of Fire 101 years, 1872 – 1973

Special Acknowledgements

Appendix

Bibliography

Photo credits

Notes

Works Cited

Sponsors

Preface

This exposé introduces and describes the background of the members of Engine 21.  Engine 21 was Chicago’s first organized paid African American Firefighting Company. The writer provides information and insight on