‘He went where there was no path and he left a trail.’ Sam Jones was the first Black member of the Hamden Fire Department in CT
By WENDELL EDWARDS
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HAMDEN, Connecticut (WFSB) — All February, Channel 3 brought viewers stories celebrating Black history.
In that history, being the first, is always significant. That’s what happened in Hamden back in the early 60s.
A Black man broke the color barrier to become the first person of color in the Hamden Fire Department.
Now, the legacy of Sam Jones is bringing an opportunity for others.
The headline that day back in 1961 in The New Haven Register clearly indicated, even then, how significant this hire was.
A commission unanimously approved the hiring of Jones as a firefighter.
Kenneth jones is his son.
“My father Sam Jones, he didn’t go where the path would lead. He went where there was no path and he left a trail,” Kenneth Jones told Channel 3.
Sam Jones was a native of North Carolina.
He moved to Connecticut after graduating from Knoxville College in Tennessee.
Not only was he the first person of color, but he was also one of the few firefighters in Hamden with a college degree.
“When he graduated from college, his mom was in CT,” Kenneth Jones said. “So, he went to CT where his mom was. He worked a few jobs. I’m not sure how he found out about the Hamden Fire Department, that’s something he pursued.”
Jones turned the job into a nearly 30-year-old career.
He retired in 1991.
Sam Jones died in Oct. 2015, just short of his 90th birthday. Still, his legacy lives on today, especially now with a scholarship that bears his name. It helps recruit students for EMT school, particularly students who look like him.
Hamden fire Chief Gary Merwede said the scholarship is about awareness and access, both of which are critical to diversity.
“It is critical because you want your workforce to represent the community that you serve, right?” Merwede said.
As for why an EMT school, and not the fire academy, the EMT certification is essential to become a firefighter.
When Sam Jones applied, that certification didn’t exist.
Today, it is a base requirement. Many fire departments require it just to apply.
“Increasing awareness about the opportunities that come with gateway certification like EMT is really a way to a career path,” Merwede said.
Larry Bowden is a Hamden firefighter who will serve as a mentor for the scholars selected.
He said he’ll make sure they know who opened the door for them.
“I’m here right now,” Bowden said. “If it wasn’t for Sam Jones, you know, who knows. That’s one thing I can tell them: No matter how hard you think you have it now, think of Sam Jones. Think of 1961.”
It’s an incredible legacy from a firefighter who defined what courage really means.
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