Firefighter

The first African American fire chief of a major U.S. city recounts his struggle against--and eventual triumph over--the racial discrimination he faced for decades while working a series of jobs in public transportation, public works, and firefighting.

This candid autobiography recounts the career of the first African American fire chief of a major U.S. city (and father of television talk-show host Montel Williams). Williams's personal recollections of middle-class African American life in Harlem and then Baltimore from the late 1930s to the present reveal a struggle for pride amidst everyday racial humiliations. Williams recounts his pioneer trail of jobs in public transportation, public works, and firefighting with clarity and intensity, although at times unnecessary details interfere with the main themes. Nevertheless, he remains forthright about his emotional responses, even in unflattering or scandalous situations. Offering a dose of fatherly advice, he reveals not only the inside view of firefighting but also the mechanics of political power in a large city. Recommended for public library collections emphasizing African American history and life. Paula R. Dempsey, DePaul Univ. Lib., Chicago

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