“THE
ORIGINAL
TWELVE”
In the year 1951 the City of Oklahoma City initiated a bond campaign to expand the Oklahoma City Fire Department. At this time the Oklahoma City Fire Department did not have any African American firefighters.
Given the concern about representation of its communities, the National Urban League chapter of Oklahoma City alongside prominent community leaders met with the City Council
about the possibility of hiring African-American employees to desegregate the fire department. Throughout continuous negotiations, the council decided to hire twelve black firefighters.
In turn, the Urban League and community leadership would drum up support for the bond campaign at hand.
On November 22nd, 1951, these 12 firefighters were assigned to Semi-Segregated fire stations, Engine Company #2, and Station #6.
James Coffee (1951-),
Algie Lawrence (1951-1975),
Cecil Dixon (1951-1975),
Marvin Nelson (1951-1975),
Herbert Ford (1951-1972),
Edward "EK" Russell (1951-1978),
Melvin Franklin (1951-1982),
Bobby Summers (1951-1963),
Carl Holmes (1951-1981),
Charles "CQ" Wright (1951-1971),
Willard Jenkins (1951-1974),
James Young (1951-)
On November 22, 1971, African-American employees of the Oklahoma City Fire Department organized under the leadership of Sherman Carthen (1966-1997). “The Fifth Quarter Civic Men's Club” received Incorporation status from the State of Oklahoma on December 7th 1971.
In 1973,The Fifth Quarter Civic Men's Club, working in conjunction with Tom Riddle, President of Local #157 implemented a labor recruitment program, designed to train minorities for the fire service. With funding from the Oklahoma Department of Labor. C.Q. Wright (1951-1971) was hired as program director.
In 1974, another labor recruitment program was implemented under the direction of Captain Maurice Holloway (1965-1995).
Through this program, the first female firefighters were hired by the Oklahoma City Fire Department. Both women were placed in communication. One was black.