From History to the Big Screen – A Script Looking for a Home

Here in Richmond, the story of Engine 9 is both local and national.  The struggle for a Black firehouse during the days of massive resistance, resulted in the triumph of 10 college educated firefighters who created a firehouse for Jackson Ward, the Black Wall Street of the South. Their excellence in firefighting led the Chief of Richmond’s fire department to say, “I don’t care where they are.  Send me Engine 9!”   Though tragedy struck Engine 9 when several firefighters died at once in a sink hole accident, that horror led to the integration of all Richmond’s fire and rescue houses, and to the admission of the first black female firefighter.  The story of Richmond’s Engine 9 is one of perseverance, courage, and triumph.  Now, Richmond’s united fire and rescue department is the most integrated in any city its size in America.  The civil rights struggle unfolded locally, but had national significance.  President Kennedy called a local merchant who integrated his stores after massive protests, to find out how it was done.