Black History Month: Wilmington Fire Department reflects on African American Company history

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — In honor of Black History Month, the Wilmington Fire Department is taking a look back at the history of African Americans with the Department.

Before the days of the paid department, there were volunteer fire companies that worked to fight fires in the 19th century, both before and after the Civil War.

There were enslaved firefighters before Emancipation, but the first organized African American fire companies were a product of Emancipation.

The city directory in 1867 lists four African American Fire Companies:

Fire Company Number 1 was located across the street from City Hall. Fire King Engine Company Number 2, Vigilant Company Number 3 and Number 4 Fire Engine Company were spread throughout the city and were staffed by 255 African American men.

(Photo: WFD)

That’s more firefighters than the Wilmington Fire Department has on staff now in 2023.

A year after the paid fire department was organized in 1897, all the Black members of the department were fired and replaced with whites as a result of the 1898 coup d’etat.

Eventually, the department did begin hiring Black firefighters again, though not until the 1960s.

Today, the Wilmington Fire Department says they are dedicated to finding ways to recruit minorities to join them in the best job in the world.