Molly Williams (fl. 1818) was the first known female, and first known black firefighter in the United States.[1]

An African American, she was a slave[2] of the New York City merchant Benjamin Aymar. She was affiliated with the Oceanus Engine Company #11 in lower Manhattan. During her time in the company, she was called Volunteer No. 11.[3] Williams made a distinguished presence in her sturdy work clothes of calico dress and checked apron Her service was noted particularly during the blizzard of 1818. Male firefighters were scarce due to a cholera outbreak,[4] but Williams took her place with the men on the dragropes and pulled the pumper to the fire through the deep snow.[5]

When asked, Williams always replied: "‘I belongs to ole ‘Leven; I allers runs wid dat ole bull-gine.’"[6]

Notes

  1. ^ "IFD Black History". Archived from the original on 2007-01-09. Retrieved 2007-01-12.
  2. ^ "History of Women in Firefighting". i-women.org. Archived from the original on 14 October 2014. Retrieved 22 February 2022.
  3. ^ "History – The History of Volunteer Firefighting". Archived from the original on 2006-10-18. Retrieved 2007-01-13.
  4. ^ Snyder, Michael R.; Ravi, Sanjana J. (December 2018). "1818, 1918, 2018: Two Centuries of Pandemics". Health Security. 16 (6): 410–415. doi:10.1089/hs.2018.0083. PMID 30511884. S2CID 54558613.
  5. ^ "Molly Williams, a black woman and a slave, fought fires years before the FDNY was formed was a pioneer for fellow female smoke-eaters". New York Daily News. 26 April 2015.
  6. ^ The History of Volunteer Firefighting Marinwood Fire Department

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