African American Firefighter Museum

African American Firefighter Museum

The African American Firefighter Museum (AAFFM) is dedicated to collecting, conserving, and sharing the heritage of African American Firefighters through collaboration and education.

The AAFFM opened it’s doors as a Museum on December 13, 1997. The dedication of the Museum also served as the acknowledgement of what was believed to be the city’s first 100 years of service by African American Firefighters (1897-1997).

In 2002, the Los Angeles Times contacted the AAFFM and stated they had discovered factual information to indicate the history started before 1897 with a man named Sam Haskins, who was listed as the first Los Angeles Fireman of African decent when he was hired in 1892 and killed while responding to a fire in 1895.

Today the AAFFM stands as the first and so far the only free standing African American Firefighter Museum in the United States.

The first floor contains vintage fire apparatus, stories and pictures of pioneering African American Los Angeles Firefighters.

The Museum gallery is located on the second floor with pictures, artifacts and other memorabilia of African American Firefighters from around the country.

There is a memorial moving tribute to the firefighters that perished during the 9/11 attack on the World Trade Center in New York City.