by Wendell Goins Jr (Author)
This is a book about F.I.R.E. "Firefighter's Institute for Racial Equality" F.I.R.E. is a book about the history of black firefighters on the St. Louis fire department. The story starts from 1921 when blacks were first allowed on the department to the year 2010. This book covers the black firemen's struggles with racism and discrimination on the department and their eventual victory over their opponents. This book also tells the story of F.I.R.E.'s important court victories that changed the racial makeup of fire departments in St. Louis and the country. This story also explains F.I.R.E.'s entry into politics and the impact the black firemen had on the St. Louis community.
Author Biography
At age 15 Mr. Goins wrote his first newspaper on his first job with the Youth Conservation Corps in St. Louis. Mr. Goins then became the editor of his high school newspaper his junior and senior years. He attended Harris Stowe State College part time while a senior in high school and was on the college year book staff. He then attended the Univ. of Missouri Columbia as a journalism major where he wrote for all of the campus newspapers and was a contributing writer for the Columbia Tribune. Mr. Goins has been published in countless periodicals and journals in the areas of history, politics and societal issues. Mr. Goins' articles also have appeared in all of the major newspapers in St. Louis over the past 30+ years including the Post Dispatch one of the countries oldest and most respected newspapers. This is the first book he has published with two more to be published in the immediate future. Writing has always been a part of his life and he loves his craft and always seeks to inform and inspire with his writing.