As a young man growing up in what has become the King Historic district in Atlanta, a young Charles Person dreamt of becoming a fireman.
As he relates this in his recently released memoir, “Buses Are A Coming,” “I used to rush home after school to go sit in the fireman’s chair at the fire station 6 in Atlanta. I would look and observe the bustle of the station. The musty smell of the firemen clothing as they were coming back from fires, the bell ringing as the men slid down the poll to get to the next fire. This always intrigued me.” He narrated in his book that he went home to his mother and told her of his desire to become a Fireman, and she just moaned in her response.
In the fifties, there was no space for a Black fireman in Charles’s neighborhood, but the little dreamer kept on building on this desire, and his mother did nothing to dissuade him. She envisaged a time when the divisiveness of society could change to where her son’s dream may be realized. She never pushed back on her son who dared to dream big.
On Thursday 2nd, November, his early life dream was realized when Mr. Person was awarded and declared an honorary Fireman and Fire Chief Marshall. The event was held at Fire Station 6 which is located a block away from the King Memorial Center, the area in which he grew up.
Joe Dixon chair of the Black Fireman Association said to Charles, “When you were young, society had its prejudice, but things have changed, and you went on to play a role in driving this change. You made a difference with your effort; you changed our life in the process. You could not be a fireman but due to your sacrifice, we are now here as Black firemen and women. We appreciate your effort and change that were brought about by your work and the things that you guys did in this city. The direction of this city was changed for the better.”
Atlanta Fire Chief, Roderick Smith said, “Mr. Person embodies the qualities of courage, resilience and selflessness, and these are the same qualities of our fire department. Today we honor him in a way as we reflect on your dedicated commitment to improving the quality of our life.” Chief Smith then declared Mr. Person an honorary fireman and chief, fulfilling the dreams of the youngest member of the Freedom Riders. A young Charles was asked by Lonnie King, the leader of the Atlanta Student Movement to join the bus riders. The 1961 bus rides were a protest operation aimed at dismantling segregated bus terminals in the south where access and use of these services were restricted based on race.
Addressing Charles from the podium, Mr. Stagnaro from the Fallen Fighters Association said,” As a young man the chairs in this station were forbidden for you, but today these chairs have been rolled out for you. Many people consider firefighters as heroes, but you are the hero, and it’s my greatest honor to be here for this ceremony”; as he honored Mr. Person with a fire helmet.
Chief Toni Washington from Women In Fire said, “You didn’t let the struggles destroy your aspirations, instead you extinguished many fires and fought the good fight. You made a difference and broke many glass ceilings. You lay the path from which I was able to accomplish.”
Chief Hood said, “I’ve been a fire chief for sixteen years in San Antonio, and It’s because of your work and others like you; your struggle and the changes that your efforts delivered that paved the way for me. We stand on your shoulders.”
Deputy Director of the United States Fire Administration, Tonya Hoover in her remarks stated, “We are here recognizing a man who has given his time so that everyone in this country can burn a bright flame. Your support for causes that would lift people up, ensuring that the flame would not be put out by prejudice.”
Pete Conroy, Co-Chair of the Freedom Riders Park Board and The Freedom Riders Training Institute from Alabama, spoke of a program that they have developed for protest education. The idea for the education program arose out of a phone conversation with Charles after the George Floyd killing. Protester’s records have been expunged via the social models.
In his acceptance of the awards and proclamations, Charles said, “It’s been a long time and I appreciate all the accolades. I know my mother would have loved it, as she always encouraged me; she always says that you can do anything.”
Some of the attendees were:
- Chief Ernie Mitchell: US Fire Chief, California
- Chief Charles Hood: Metropolitan Fire Chiefs, San Antonio, Texas
- Chief Roderick Smith: Atlanta Fire Chief
- Chief Toni Washington: Women in Fire
- Victor Stagnaro: CEO, Fallen Firefighters Association
- Tonya Hoover: Deputy Director, United States Fire Administration
- Joe Dixon: Chair of the Black Chief Officers Committee (BCOC) of the International Association of Black Professional Firefighters (IABPFF)
- Tony Russell: Superintendent at the Center for Domestic Preparedness (CDP), Anniston, Alabama
- Michael Julien Bond: Atlanta City Council Member
- Pete Conroy: Co-Chair of the Freedom Riders Park Board / The Freedom Riders Training Institute, Alabama








Last updated on November 29, 2023
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