I spoke with Walter in his home in West Philadelphia. In his first story Walter talks about visiting Engine 11 as a child and beginning training as a fireman in Philadelphia on December 1, 1950.
The Philadelphia Fire Department was segregated from 1919 - 1952. African-American firemen were assigned to Engine 11 on South Street. Walter is one of five surviving firefighters who worked at Engine 11 before it was desegregated in 1952.
- Download Walter_Gentry_Part1.mov - 20.48 MB
