Former L.A. firefighter, 92, offers lessons in LAFD’s past segregation, discrimination
For 70 years, Arnett Hartsfield has been called a rookie.
And for most of that time, the truth behind the nickname haunted him.
He was the 80th black man to join the Los Angeles Fire Department when he signed up in 1940. At the time, he was a UCLA student aiming for an engineering career who needed the job to support his new wife.
But when he reported for duty and was sent to an all-black firehouse in downtown Los Angeles, he couldn’t believe what he was getting into.
“That hit me so hard. I wasn’t used to being segregated. My family had moved here from Seattle, where we didn’t have colored neighbors. My family was integrated — the only grandfather I ever saw was an Irishman from Belfast,” said Hartsfield, now 92.
At Station 30 at the corner of Central Avenue and 14th Street, he sized up his co-workers.
“I was going to UCLA, and I looked down on these men. I was thinking they’ve never even heard of the general quadratic equation. I was thinking I’ll be their officer in a few years.”
Comments: Yes, within our lifetime, folks.