15 Facts About Vulcan Society

1.

Vulcan Society, founded in 1940, is a fraternal organization of black firefighters in New York City, United States.

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2.

Vulcan Society was John H Woodson was born on 1886, and a native of Virginia like Nicholson before him.

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3.

Vulcan Society spent four months in Engine 5 before transferring to Engine Company 298 in Queens.

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4.

Vulcan Society wrote that, as a "race" man, he felt it was his duty to inform the newcomer of the conditions which existed in the department at that time.

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5.

Vulcan Society went on to say that the new fireman would find "quite a lot of jealous and narrow minded men" in the department.

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6.

Vulcan Society was now without a captain and five or six months passed before a replacement was assigned.

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7.

Vulcan Society executed the maneuver so expertly he was assigned as the apparatus driver.

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8.

Vulcan Society did however have the run of the quarters, and found the roof to be unoccupied.

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9.

Vulcan Society was appointed on December 14,1937, and served as a member of Ladder Company 41 in west Harlem.

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10.

Vulcan Society later wrote about his experiences, including what he called the "Jim Crow bed", saying:.

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11.

The Jim Crow bed became an obsolete practice, and the Vulcan Society continued to grow in numbers as more black firemen were appointed to the department.

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12.

From its founding year, 1940, the Vulcan Society played an active role both within the department and in the community.

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13.

Vulcan Society was the only woman in the class of '99 and one of 10 African-American women in a force of 10,000 in the FDNY.

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14.

Vulcan Society succeeded Vulcan Society president John Coombs, who cited her election as a historic moment for the organization.

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15.

In 2002, the Vulcan Society sued to get more minorities hired, finally prevailing when the new mayoral administration declined to appeal the judges ruling.

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