Co-Founder of the African American Police League Renault Robinson was born on September 8, 1942, in Chicago, Illinois—a city that would become the epicenter of not only his law enforcement career, but also his Civil Rights advocacy. Robinson joined the Chicago Police Department in 1964 and was one of the officers who provided police protection …
Atlanta’s First African American Police Officers In April 1948, the basement of Atlanta’s Butler Street YMCA took on a new role—a police precinct for the city’s first Black officers: Henry Hooks, Claude Dixon, Ernest H. Lyons, Robert McKibbens, Willard Strickland, Willie T. Elkins, Johnnie P. Jones, and John Sanders. They ranged in age from 21 …
The Black Klansman When Ron Stallworth joined the Colorado Springs Cadet Program, a program which was designed to bring more minorities into the department, he had no idea that he — a law enforcement officer and a Black man—would successfully infiltrate the Ku Klux Klan. Image Source At age 22, Stallworth became the Colorado Springs Police Department’s …
The First Black Woman to Become a Federal Judge Constance Baker Motley was born on September 14, 1921 in New Haven, Connecticut—the ninth of 12 children—to immigrant parents from the Caribbean island Nevis. Her mother was one of the founding members of the New Haven NAACP, and introduced her children to African American History and the …
The Real “Lone Ranger” There are no more popular stories of the Wild American West than that of The Lone Ranger—a steadfast, heroic lawman who worked alone and carried the weight of law and order on his shoulders. But did you know that the inspiration behind this beloved character came in the form of a …
America’s First Black Female Officer There was nary a role for women in law enforcement prior to the turn of the 20th century, but the first women to find their niche in the field ended up making a great impact on not only their communities, but also in history. Georgia Ann Robinson was one of …
A Black Officer of NYPD with Many Firsts Black law enforcement officers around the country have achieved many firsts, but Samuel J. Battle began breaking records on his day of birth. Born on January 18, 1883 in New Bern, North Carolina, Battle was the largest baby born in the state, weighing in at 16 pounds! His size would remain—both …
The First Black Officer to Die in the Line of Duty (EOW: April 12, 1870) Our Black History Month series begins with a connection between Black History and the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. Today we honor Officer William Johnson who – according to our records – is the first African American officer to die …
Personal reflections on a lifetime career in law enforcement and how the profession has changed throughout the years.
Former Metropolitan (DC) and Philadelphia (PA) Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey reflects on his 47-year career in law enforcement.
