PEORIA, Ill. — Some refused to eat with him and didn’t want to be next to him, but an African American fireman didn’t stop serving his city. Decades later, his name will not be forgotten.
Station 4 in Peoria is now dedicated to the city’s first Black firefighter, and the fire chief says the department still has more work to do.
When the late Edward B. Gaines Jr. joined the fire department in 1957 there were still segregation laws in place. Now, the city is honoring him as he paved the way for black firefighters in Peoria.
“I had tears in my eyes because I could not believe the stuff he had to go through in order to be a Peoria fireman at that time, but he said he was going to survive,” said Leroy Mack, nephew of Gaines.
The union changed its bylaws to allow Gaines to be the first African American firefighter during the time of segregation.
Retired Fire Captain James McCoy said some firefighters would not eat with Gaines and they would throw his silverware in the garbage. He says other firefighters would not sleep in a bed that he previously slept in.
“These are the things Mr. Gaines endured, but yet he still stayed on this job,” said McCoy.
Wednesday, the city honored Gaines by naming the station on Western Avenue after him and unveiling portraits dedicated to him. Fire Captain Andre Petty was the artist.
“This day signifies tearing down walls and barriers that existed for so many, and yet we have so much work to do,” said Chief Shawn Sollberger.
Chief Sollberger told 25 News the station is focused on diversity as they hire more firefighters. He says 12 of 178 firefighters are Black. The chief says there are four women and another four minority firefighters.
The department hopes this new station will inspire young African Americans in the community to change those numbers.
“I want little kids when they come to this station and when they meet the firefighters working here, I want them to understand because they’re products of this environment and they can also achieve these things,” said McCoy.
Gaines later became the first African American fire captain in 1969. He died in 1998, but his legacy lives on.
“Every African American firefighter who’s came on this job, it started with Mr. Gaines,” said McCoy.
Rick Morgan is the second African American to be an assistant fire chief. He took that position in August. John Parker was the first Black fire chief in the 80s and first to go through all of the ranks.
