About Us
ORGANIZATION HISTORY
The STENTORIANS organization was founded in
1954, by African-American firefighters of the Los
Angeles City and Los Angeles County Fire
Departments. Their purpose and goals were to band
together and address the discrimination and
segregation challenges in the City's Fire
Department. The name STENTORIANS, was selected for
its appropriateness from the word Stentor, a Greek
Herald described in the Iliad as having the voice
of fifty men, extremely loud and powerful, audibly
expressing a very forceful sound.
The
STENTORIANS began to gain members from the Los
Angeles County Fire Department as
African-Americans slowly began to be hired in the
early 1950's. Today, the Los Angeles County
STENTORIANS membership consists of over four
hundred men and women both active and retired,
sworn and non-sworn throughout the Southern
California area. The Los Angeles County
STENTORIANS belong to the International
Association of Black Professional Firefighters, a
National Organization in which the Los Angeles
County STENTORIANS are charter members of.
In 1990, the STENTORIANS re-structured and formed
two chapters, the Los Angeles City and Los Angeles
County Chapter. This re-structuring was due in
part to the increased involvement of each
organization with their respective Departments.
Both organizations still remain close and continue
to perform their community service endeavors
jointly.
Today,
the STENTORIANS function as a community based and
social organization for their membership and their
families. Many of the traditions that started over
forty years ago are continued today: functions
such as the Annual dinner and dance, promotional
and recognition luncheon, annual bar-b-que and
Christmas toy drive. Over its forty-year history;
the STENTORIANS have progressed into a well-noted
and respected Firefighter association in the
greater Los Angeles area community.
The
STENTORIANS occupy as its office and training
facility, old Los Angeles City Fire Station #46,
one of the very first stations integrated by the
City Fire Department. This facility is now named
in honor of Arnett Hartsfield and Van Davis. Both
former firefighters from the City and County fire
departments respectfully. These men were truly
pioneers during the civil rights era for fairness
and equality in the fire service.
