10/12/2006 | 25m 6s | Video has closed captioning.
Located at historic fire Station #30 on South Central Avenue in Los Angeles, the African American Firefighter Museum is a nonprofit organization dedicated to collecting, conserving and sharing the heritage of African American Firefighters.
Aired: 10/12/06
Problems Playing Video? | Closed Captioning
VISITING WITH HUELL HOWSER IS MADE POSSIBLE THROUGH A GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE RALPH M PARSON'S FOUNDATION.
>> Huell: WELL HELLO EVERYBODY I'M HUELL HOWSER AND HERE WE ARE IN DOWNTOWN L.A.
RIGHT IN THE CORNER OF CENTRAL AND 14th STREET.
AND THERE IS ONE OF OUR CITY'S HONEST TO GOODNESS LANDMARKS, THAT'S THE OLD COCA COLA BUILDING BUILT BACK IN THE EARLY EARLY 19 00s.
IT LOOKS LIE SHIP AND WRITTEN UP IN ALL THE ALL THE ARCHITECTUREAL HAG SCENES BUT WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT L.A., YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE YOU'LL FIND THE NEXT HISTORIC.
RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET IS ANOTHER BUILDING THAT'S EVEN MORE HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT AND HERE TO TELL US ABOUT IT IS MR. ARNEET HEARTSFIELD.
YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT THIS BUILDING, TELL US WHY OL' ENGINE NUMBER 30, LA FD, NUMBER 11 THAT'S WHAT IT SAYS ACROSS THE BUILDING HERE.
TELL US WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT?
>> THIS BUILDING FROM ABOUT 1924 AND 1954 WAS THE SEGREGATED STATION FOR THE COLORED.
I REPORTED TO THIS BUILDING, VERY MUCH EMBARRASSED AND ASHAMED TO COME TO AN SEGREGATED, I NOW AM SO PROUD OF IT, THAT I DONATE TEN HOURS EVERY WEEK.
>> Huell: THIS STATION NOW IS OFFICIALLY--.
>> AFRICAN AMERICAN FIRE FIGHTER MUSEUM.
>> Huell: I DON'T THINK MOST PEOPLE KNOW THE HISTORY ABOUT THE AFRO AMERICAN FIRE HISTORY.
FOR HOW MANY YEARS?
>> 104 YEARS, GOING ON 105.
>> Huell: SO IT STARTED IN THE LATE 1900s.
>> 1897 WHEN GEORGE WRIGHT BECAME THE FIRST FIRE FIGHTER.
>> Huell: BUT, WHAT'S INTERESTING AND WHAT I DIDN'T KNOW UNTIL YOU AND I STARTED TALKING ABOUT THIS, UNTIL THE MID-1950s, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT OF LOS ANGELES WAS TOTALLY 100%, SEGREGATEDEç AND THIS WAS ONE OF TWO BLACK FIRE STATIONS IN L.A. AND THERE WERE NO BLACKS ANYWHERE ELSE ANYWHERE IN THE WHOLE CITY AS FAR AS THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONCERNED?
>> THAT'S CORRECT, WHEN I CAME ON IN 1940, WHEN BRIAN CAME ON, HE WAS NOT IS HE GRA GAITD, HE WAS NOT ENOUGH.
BUT AS SOON AS THERE WERE FIVE THEY SEPARATED THEM.
>> Huell: AND THIS WAS THE BLACK ONE OF TWO BLACK FIRE STATIONS.
>> WHEN I CAME ON, THIS WAS ONE OF TWO.
THE OTHER ONE WAS ON 34th STREET ON CENTRAL AVENUE.
>> Huell: WELL THIS IS INTERESTING BECAUSE YOU'VE DONE A GOOD JOB RESTORING.
>> THE CITY, INSDS SPENDING 1.9 MILLION DOLLARS TO RESTORE THIS STATION AS A HISTORIC LANDMARK.
COUNCIL MAN LINSEY KHAL END ME WHEN I WENT TO HIS SUPPORT.
I SAID NO COUNCIL MEN, I WANT TO BUILD A MONUMENT BEHIND IS HE SEGREGATION.
>> Huell: AND TO INFORMING PEOPLE ABOUT THE BLACK HISTORY OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
AND RIGHT IN THE FRONT IS THIS WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN--THIS LOOKS LIKE AN OLD ONE OF TWO BLACK FIRE FIGHTERS HERE IN THE CITY.
>> THE FIRST FIREMAN GEORGE BRIES,D ED WAS ONE OF THE FIRST FIVE.
>> Huell: ONE OF THE FIRST FIVE?
>> YES.
>> Huell: AND IT WAS AFTER THEY HAD FIVE, THAT THEY THOUGHT LET'S SEGREGATE THESE GUYS.
>> ONE YEAR BEFORE, THE U.S. SUPREME COURT HAD RULED THAT IT WAS NOT VIOLATION OF THE 14th AMENDMENT SO LONG AS CONDITIONS WERE EQUAL.
SO AS SOON AS THERE WERE FIVE BLACK FIREMAN, THEY MADE GEORGE A LIEUTENANT AND PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF A BUILDING.
JUST SOUTH OF BEVERLY BOULEVARD.
>> Huell: WOW.
AND HERE'S A PICTURE.
THIS WONDERFUL PHOTOGRAPH, THESE ARE BLACK FIREMEN RIDING ON A HORSE DRAWN FIRE TRUCK.
>> JUST LIKE THIS ONE.
>> Huell: JUST LIKE THE ONE IN HERE, THIS IS AMAZING THAT THIS HAPPENED.
AND I THINK MOST OF US WOULD HAVE EXPECTED THIS TO HAPPEN A LONG TIME AGO.
BUT NOT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE 1950s.
WE'RE GOING TO TELL THAT STORY IN JUST A MINUTE.
'CAUSE WE HAVE SOME OTHER PEOPLE UPSTAIRS IN THE MUSEUM ITSELF, AND THAT'S WHERE WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE THIS STORY.
>> WONDERFUL.
>> Huell: LET'S GO.
WE'VE COME UPSTAIRS TO THE SECOND FLOOR OF THE MUSEUM AND I HAVE ALREADY SPENT SOMETIME VISITING WITH THESE GENTLEMEN RIGHT HERE.
BELIEVE ME WE'RE IN FOR SOME GREAT STORIES.
INTRODUCE YOURSELF.
>> I'M ROGER DUNKINAND I LIVED HERE FOR A LONG TIME.
>> Huell: AND YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHERE TOO WHERE WAS YOUR BUNK.
>> RIGHT THERE.
WHEN I SLEPT THROUGH AN ALARM ONCE.
>> Huell: THESE ARE THE KIND OF STORIES WE'RE GOING TO HEAR.
>> I'M ARNOLD, I WORKED 40 YEARS.
>> CHARLES AND IR SON AND MY BUNK WAS RIGHT THERE WHERE I CAN LISTEN TO TELEVISION AND NOT HAVE TO LOOK AT IT.
>> Huell: AND YOU WERE NOT HERE BACK THEN.
>> NO, I WAS MICHELLE AND PRESENT OF THE MUSEUM.
>> Huell: YOU'RE THE PRESIDENT, SO HAVE YOU HEARD A LOT OF STORIES.
>> I HAVE HEARD A LOT AND I CAN NOT HEAR ENOUGH.
>> Huell: REALLY, YOU CAN NOT HEAR ENOUGH.
THESE ARE FIRSTHAND STORIES ABOUT WHAT IT WAS LIKE BACK THEN.
>> ABSOLUTELY, THEY'RE WONDERFUL STORIES, THEY TELL OF TRIUMPH AND THE DEDICATION.
>> Huell: WELL WELL SAID.
>> THAT SOUNDS BEAUTIFUL.
>> Huell: TELL US WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO BE STATIONED HERE?
BECAUSE WHEN YOU WERE STATIONED HERE, IT WAS AN IS HEEç SEGREGATED SITUATION?
>> YES, IT WAS AT THE TIME.
YOU DIDN'T HAVE A FULL APPRECIATION FOR HOW SEGREGATED YOU WERE UNTIL IT WAS INTEGRATED AND YOU FOUND OUT HOW THE OTHER HALF LIVED.
BECAUSE THOSE THINGS THAT WE DID WERE STRIEçCTLY ACCORDING T THE BOOK.
THEREEç WAS NO LATITUDE.
EVERYBODY WAS BY THE BOOK.
>> Huell: THAT WAS A GOOD THING, WASN'T IT?
>> YES AND NO BECAUSE SOME OF THE THINGS WERE UNNECESSARY.
FOR EXAMPLE IF WE HAD A FIRE, AND IT WAS RAINING WE WOULD SCRUB THE VEHICLE AND THEN THE ALARM GOES OFF TEN MINUTES LATER, YOU GO BACK AND TO THE SAME THING OVER AGAIN.
RATHER THAN CLEAN IT UP IN THE MORNING, WE HAD TO DO IT OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
>> Huell: WHY WOULD YOU HAVE TO DO THAT BASED ON THIS STATION?
>> OUR OFFICERS WA STRICTLERS TO THE BOOK.
YOU COME BACK IN AND GO TO BED.
AND THE NEXT MORNING, YOU GET UP AND CLEAN THE RIG.
THAT WAS ONE OF THE MANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE TWO FIRE DEPARTMENTS.
>> LIFE WAS A BALL HERE.
>> Huell: IT WAS.
>> WE HAD A LOT OF FUN HERE.
>> Huell: BECAUSE THERE WAS THIS SENSE OF COMRADEITY?
>> EXACTLY.
>> LET ME TELL YOU ANOTHER THING, THERE WAS SO MUCH TALENT, IF YOU WERE GOING TO BUILD A HOUSE, THERE WERE SO MUCH--I BOUGHT A HOUSE WITHOUT A GARAGE, AND WE BUILT A HOUSE.
AND OF COURSE STEWARD BUILD HIS HOME FROM THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
>> WE KNEW EACH OTHER, WE SPENT OUR ENTIRE CAREER WITH EACH OTHeçR.
WE GAVE EACH OTHER NICK NAMES.
WE HAD A GREAT TIME.
IN 1940, TOM BRADLEY AND I WERE AT UCLA TOGETHER.
TOM WENT INTO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT IN DECEMBER OF 40.
AND I CAME TO THE FIRE DEPARTMENT IN NOVEMBER OF 40.
THE TOP GROUP WAS MAPLE FIVE.
>> Huell: MAYOR CARRIERS POLICEMEN AND FIREMEN.
>> MAPLE FIVE, AND DURING THE DEPRESSION THESE INDIVIDUALS HAD A STEADY INCOME.
IT WAS THE TOP OF THE LINE.
>> Huell: AND THESE WERE PRESTIGE JOBS AS WELL.
BUT THERE WERE ONLY TWO BLACK FIRE STATIONS IN LOS ANGELES WITH A TOTAL OF, YOU WERE TELLING ME, OF 80 FIREMEN.
AND WHEN YOU GOT PROMOTE TODAY CAPTAIN HERE, THAT'S AS HIGH AS YOU CAN GO IF YOU WERE A BLACK PERSON?
>> OR WHEN THE CAPTAINS WERE POINTED, THERE WAS NOWHERE TO GO.
>> Huell: SO YOU JUST STAYED HERE.
>> THAT'S WHY FOUR OF US WENT TO MRAU SCHOOL.
>> Huell: A LOT OF PEOPLE WENT TO LAW SCHOOL.
BECAUSE THERE WAS NO UPWARD PROMOTION--.
>> UNLESS ONE OF THEM DIED.
EVERYBODY ACTED THE ACTING CAPTAIN, ENGINEER, BUT YOU DIDN'T GET PAID FOR IT THEN.
>> Huell: SO IF YOU WERE STATIONED OVER YOUR CAREER, YOU WOULD DO EVERY SINGLE POSITION AT THIS STATION?
YOU WOULD DO A LITTLE BIT OF EVERYTHING?
>> EVERYBODY, OPERATED THE PUMP WHERE YOU PUMPED THE WATER FROM THE HYDROGENñr TO TH FIRE.
EACH MAN'S KNOWS THE OTHER MAN'S JOB.
>> Huell: LOOKING AT THE DISPLAY OF PICTURES, IT WAS OBVIOUS THAT THERE WAS A REAL SENSE OF PRIDE IN BEING A MEMBER OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT?
>> YOU KNOW, WE FELT SO GOOD AT PUTTING OUT FIRE.
THAT WHEN WE GOT ON THE JOB, AND THE FIRE WAS NOT WHALING WE WALKED IN AND THE FIRE WENT OUT.
>> Huell: AND THAT'S WHAT WE NEED TO TALK ABOUT.
WAS THE SENSE OF PROFESSIONALISM THAT YOU FELT AS MEMBERS OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT.
FORGET ABOUT THE SEGREGATION AND ALL OF THAT, FIRST AND FOR MOST, YOU WERE FIREMEN?
>> WELL, WHEN THE BELL RANG AND YOU WENT TO A FIRE, WE RAN IN WITH 21s WHICH WAS A WHITE, AND 17th, AND YOU BECOME ONE.
BECAUSE I DO BELIEVE, THAT THEY WOULD HAVE PROTECTED ME JUST LIKE I WOULD HAVE PROTECT THEM.
>> Huell: FIRE NEW NO COLOR.
>> EXACTLY.
>> Huell: SO ONE WAS THE ALL WHITE OR ALL BLACK COMPANY, THE TWO WOULD HAVE WORKED TOGETHER?
>> WORKED IN UNITY WITHOUT ANY PROBLEM.
>> EVERY FIRE WAS INTEGRATED.
FIRST ALARM CALLS FOR THREE ENGINE COMPANIES--.
>> Huell: AND THERE WERE ONLY TWO.
>> SO EVEN IF THE FIRE WAS HALFWAY BETWEEN HERE AND THE OTHER COLORED STATION, THERE WAS AT LEAST ONE WHITE FIRE STATION THERE.Eç AND THERE WAS NO HARASSMENT UNTIL WE PUSHED FOR INTEGRATION.
>> Huell: YOU TOLD ME ABOUT A WONDERFUL STORY ABOUT WHEN THEY BECAME INTEGRATED IN THE MID-1950s AND I GUESS THEY TRANSFERRED YOU OUT OF THE BLACK STATIONS OUT TO WHITE STATIONS ALL AROUND THE CITY.
THIS IS AN AMAZING STORY ABOUT WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU YOU WERE TRANSFERRED TO THIS SITUATION, TO A STATION OUT WHERE?
>> OUT IN THE VALLEY, I FORGOT THE PLACE BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO REMEMBER.
>> Huell: TELL US WHAT HAPPENED.
THIS IS UNBELIEVABLE.
>> WELL I REPORTED AS I WE SHOULD DO WITH MY BOOK IN HI HAND WHICH WAS MY RECORD OF THE FIRE DUTY ALONG WITH MY BACKGROUND AND WE LINED UP AS WE USUAL DO.
AND WE CAME TO ATTENTION AND RIGHT WHERE I'M STANDING FROM HERE ON, THE ACTING OFFICER CAME UP AND SAID, GENTLEMEN FROM HERE LEFT STEP AND THEY ALL MOVED AWAY AND LEFT ME STANDING THERE.
>> Huell: THIS WAS YOUR FIRST DAY ON THE JOB IN THE ALL WHITE STATION.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
SO I STOOD THERE AND THEY ASSIGNED NUMBERS OF WHAT YOUR DUTIES WOULD BE.
THEY ALL MOVED AWAY AND THEY TOOK MY BOOK AND THEY SAID YOU STAY THERE AND THEY WENT TO AN OFFICE, VERY CLOSE AT HAND AND SAID, OH BOY, THIS NIGGER IS SMART, HE HAS A DEGREE, LOOK HERE HE FLEW AIRPLANES, WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO WITH A SMARTIE LIKE THIS.
AND I WAS AMAZED AND I THOUGHT WELL, I SEE WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN.
SO WHAT HAPPENED WAS, IN THE END OF IT, WAS THAT THE OSTRACIZEING WAS GOING ON, I DIDN'T KNOW WHO WAS ASTRO SIZING SIZING.
THE CAPTAIN CALLED AND I IGNORED HIM.
UNLTS --UNLESS IT WAS AN ORDER, I HAD NO COMMENT WITH HIM.
>> Huell: IT WAS A TENSE SITUATION.
>> FROM THE TOP DOWN, THAT THEN THERE WERE NONE.
THEY TRY TO RUN YOU OFFER THE JOB.
>> Huell: MAKE IT SO UNBEARABLE THAT YOU WOULD QUIT.
>> AND I SAID, I'LL DIE HERE, THEY WILL NOT OUT RUN ME.
>> Huell: THEY DIDN'T RUN YOU OR YOU OR YOU OFF.
DOES EVERYBODY HAVE ONE OF THESE EXPERIENCES THESE ARE NOT UNCOMMON STORIES ARE THEY?
>> I WAS SET TO 10,000 BOULEVARD AND PALMS AND ONE OF THEM ASKED ME IN THE LOCKER ROOM, HE SAID HOW DO YOU TAKE THIS MESS?
I SAYS I HAVE A WIFE, A MORTGAGE AND TWO KIDS, YOU'RE NOT GOING TO RUN ME OFF.
>> Huell: WERE YOU KIND OF IN THE FOR FRONT.
>> EVERY ONE OF THOSE 80 OF THOSE FIREMEN SURVIVED NOT A SINGLE ONE QUIT OR GOT FIRED.
ALL OF US SURVIVED THE HUGH MILL TAITION.
>> Huell: WHAT'S THE EXPRESSION.
>> THEN THERE WERE NONE WAS THE MOTTO AT THE TIME.
>> Huell: BUT ALL SURVIVED THE INTEGRATION PROCESS EVEN THOUGH YOU HAD TO GO THROUGH ALL OF THIS.
>> THAT'S CORRECT.
>> AND TO APPRECIATE WHAT THEY WENT THROUGH.
LET'S--AT ENGINE 10, THE WHITE FARMER TOOK HIS PILLOW IN THE TOILET AND LAID HIS HEAD IN IT.
BUT THGçY HAD BEEN HARASSING ERNIE, HE WAS SO ANXIOUS TO GET TO BED, BECAUSE HE LAID HIS HEAD IN IT.
HE HAD A NERVOUS BREAK DOWN HIS HAIR TURNED WHITE IN ABOUT 30 DAZE.
HE CAME BACK AND SERVED 34 YEARS.
>> Huell: AFTER THAT HAPPENED.
>> HE'S GONE NOW, HE DIED OF CANCER.
EVERY ONE OF MY MEN TOOK SOME ABUSE EVERY ONE SURVIVED AND NOT A SINGLE ONE OF THEM HAS EVER RECEIVED ANY CREDIT.
I DON'T THINK A SINGLE HAS A PLAQUE OR A CERTIFICATE.
>> Huell: DO YOU HAVE TROUBLE THINKING BACK AND REALIZING THAT ALL THIS REALLY HAPPENED TO YOU?
>> I'M VERY GLAD ABOUT IT ALL.
NOW THAT IT'S OVER, YOU CAN LOOK BACK WITH PLEASURE.
I'VE GOT REWARDS THAT ORDINARY PEOPLE DON'T GET.
WHEN I LOOK AT THE GAMES NOW, JUST A BASKETBALL GAME, I LOOK AT 10 OR 15 BLACK MILL NAIRZ.
WHEN MILL--MILLIONAIRES, WHEN I THINK OF BLACK MEN, BEING GIVEN 2 MILLION DOLLARS JUST TO APPEAR SOMEPLACE.
I NEVER DREAMED I WOULD LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THAT.
EVERYTHING THAT IS COMMON PLACE TO A LOT OF PEOPLE, ARE VERY SPECIAL EVENTS TO ME.
AND I GIGGLE ABOUT IT, I'M EN THUES ENTHUSIASTICLY PLEASED THAT I HAVE LIVED LONG ENOUGH TO SEE THIS FRUITION.
>> Huell: YOU ALSO HAVE TO THINK ABOUT WHAT THOSE REAL EARLY BLACK FIREMEN WHO WERE HERE BACK IN THE 1800s.
>> I BLESS AND PRAISE THEM.
I'M GLAD THAT THE SLAVES WORKED FOR NOTHING.
THEY DID, THEY MADE THIS NATION GREAT.
AND I APPRECIATE IT, EVERYBODY HAS DONE THEIR PART.
BUT WHEN YOU'RE AT THE TAIL OF THE END OF THE END OF TAIL AND YOU CAN LOOK BACK AND APPRECIATE ALL THAT HISTORY, IT'S REWARDING.
>> Huell: DO YOU THINK MOST ANGELENOS HAVE ANY IDEA THAT HAPPENED.
>> OR CARE.
WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT THIS--STUFF, THE JUNG STERZ DON'TEç ç&E.
>> THEY THINK IT'S ALWAYS BEEN NICE.
>> Huell: AND WHY DO YOU THINK IT'S IMPORTANT?
>> WELL, IT'S ONLY IMPORTANT TO US.
>> Huell: WELL NO IT'S GOT TO BE IMPORTANT TO PEOPLE WHO COME HERE.
>> I WONDER ABOUT THAT TOO.
SOME LOOK IN AMAZEMENT.
EVEN THOUGH THEY WALK THROUGH IT, YOU DON'T GET THE FEELING THAT THEY REALLY CARE.
IT'S JUST LIKE LOOKING AT THE HISTORY BOOK.
I KNOW THEY DON'T FEEL THE WAY WE DO, BECAUSE WE LIVED IT.
>> WHEN YOU GO TO A FUNERAL AND YOU SEE THE YOUNGER FIREMEN, THEY'RE THE ONES THAT APPRECIATE YOU MORE.
THEY REALLY DO APPRECIATE.
>> Huell: BECAUSE THEY KNOW WHO CAME BEFORE THEM.
>> THAT'S RIGHT.
>> AND OF COURSE, EVERY TIME, IN THE LAST I SAY LAST SIX MONTHS, I'VE BEEN TO EIGHT FUNERALS.
SO WE'RE DYING OFF, YOU KNOW.
>> Huell: DO YOU THINK YOUNGER PEOPLE WOULD EVEN COME PREHEND THE KINDS OF THINGS WE'RE LISTENING TODAY.
>> MANY DON'T AND THAT'S WHAT'S INTERESTING ABOUT THIS MUSEUM.
THESE STORIES, DEMONSTRATE THAT THROUGH TENACITY TO STICK WITH SOMETHING, DESPITE DIVERSITY YOU CAN EXCEL.
NOT ONLY DO WE COULD NOT SERVE BUT WE TALK ABOUT HUMAN RELATIONS IN OUR TOURS.
>> Huell: THIS MUSEUM IS OPEN.
>> WE'RE OPEN EVERY TUESDAY AND THURSDAY, 10:00 TO 2:00.
AND EVERY SECOND FRIDAY.
>> Huell: AND SOME DAYS THERE IS ONLY TWO OR THREE PEOPLE KNOWN.
>> THIS IS NOT KNOWN THAT WELL BUT HOPEFULLY AFTER THIS PROGRAM.
>> Huell: NOW DO YOU GIVE THE TOURS.
>> YES, I'M THE ONLY MEMBER OF THE BOARD THAT'S RETIRED.
WHEN I GO TO A MARKET AND TRY TO WRITE A CHECK, I WORK AND TH ASKED FOR AEç WORK NUMBER, I SA WORK IS A FOUR LETTER WORD.
>> OUR NED HAS TO HAVE HIS DAY IN COURT.
THERE ARE TIMES WHEN WE COME LIKE TODAY BY SPECIAL INVITATION.
>> Huell: OH.
>> BUT HE'S THE PERSON TO DO IT BECAUSE HE'S GOT ALL THE RECORDS.
AND ONE THING YOU HAVE NOT TOLD HIM, TELL HIM HOW MANY FIREMEN OF COLOR THEY ARE NOW.
>> ABOUT 300 NOW.
IN TELLING THIS STORY OF OUR MEN, THIS MAN THAT RECENTLY DIED, ARCHIE, AFTER THIS HE WENT INTO THE LOCKHEED PROGRAM, HE PARTICIPATED IN THE DIDESIGN OF MOON MODULE.
HE WENT OVER HIS BOSS'S HEAD AND SOMEBODY MAYBE TO KEEP DOWN THE CLAIM OF DISCRIMINATION, HUMORED HIM AND PUT IT IN, AND THAT'S WHAT SAVED THE LIFE OF APOLLO 13.
>> Huell: THESE ARE THE STORIES THAT SCHOOL CHILDREN SHOULD HERE.
THAT ALL OF US SHOULD HEAR, AND IF YOU COME DOWN HERE, YOU'LL NOT ONLY GET TO TRAVEL AND SEE ALL THE PHOTOGRAPHS AND ALL THE PICTURES AND ALL THE MEMORABILIA BUT YOU'LL GET TO HEAR SOME OF THE STORIES, NOT AULG OF THEM BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE YOU ALL DAY.
>> AND WE'RE DYING OFF, SO YOU BETTER COME IN A HURRY.
>> Huell: TRUST ME, IT'S WORTH COMING DOWN TO HERE AND SEE.
IT'S A RICH PART OF OUR HISTORY IN LOS ANGELES, NOT SOMETHING WE SHOULD ALL BE PROUD OF BUT IT HAPPENED.
IT'S PART OF HISTORY AND IT IS, AS YOU SAY, AN EXAMPLE OF PERSEVERE ANS AND OVERCOMING.
>> TO MAKE STEPPING STONES OUT OF STUMBLING BLOCKS.
>> Huell: THESE ARE THE STORIES YOU WOULD THINK YOU WOULD HEAR ABOUT THE DPEEP SOUTH IN THE MID-50s INSTEAD OF ABOUT LOS ANGELES.
BUT THESE STORIES REALLY HAPPENED AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE ALL BE AWARE THAT THEY HAPPENED.
>> EVERYONE ONE OF THE STORIES HAPPENED.
>> AND MORE.
>> WE WERE INSPIRED BY MARTIN LUTHER KING, AND EVERY MORNING, I SAY, I LIVE LONG ENOUGH TO SEE EVERYTHING THAT HIS DREAM SAID.
REACH FRUITION, IT'S BEEN BEAUTIFUL.
>> I'VE SEEN CHANGE,Eç I WAS IN SCHOOL BEFORE JACKIE, I SAW HIM BREAKEç INTO THE BASEBALL, SAW MY SON-IN-LAW PITCH IN THE WORLD SERIES, I SAW COLIN POWELL AND I SAW MY BUDDY AT UCLA BECOME MAYOR.
SO WHILE THINGS ARE NOT GREAT, I'M GOING TO CELEBRATE THAT THE GLASS IS HALF FULL INSTEAD OF HALF EMPTY.
