“Nobody would talk to me. Blacks (on...
“Nobody would talk to me. Blacks (on different shifts) had to sleep in the same bed. I had to bring my own cooking utensils, and I had to wait until the others had eaten to fix my meals.”
--Deputy Fire Chief Paul A. Orduna, the highest-ranking black in the department, recalling his early days as a Los Angeles city firefighter.
Start your day right
Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week.
You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times.
