Overcoming Racist Policies Were a Universal Reality For Early Black Police Officers
The first Black Police Officers in Atlanta and across the nation shared many common attributes aside from being the first of their race to become police officers. These pioneers of black policing also shared struggles of overcoming racist practices in their departments. They were prohibited from arresting White people or patrolling white neighborhoods; they were not allowed to carry guns to protect themselves, and they were not allowed the use of patrol cars and forced to patrol on foot.
This may not be a big surprise considering the racial climate of America's Jim Crow Era in the 1940s. After all, the same racist practices were happening in sports, politics, business, the military, and virtually every field of human endeavor at that time. Such was the case for Black Police Officers across the nation, including Atlanta's first eight Black Police Officers.

"They were not even allowed to operate from the police headquarters," said Craig Howard, former Atlanta Police Officer, Retired Assistant Police Chief, and co-host of the Policing from a Black Perspective Podcast. "They had to operate out of the Butler Street YMCA in downtown Atlanta."
Howard further explained that Atlanta's Butler Street YMCA, located in the heart of Sweet Auburn Ave., was the "Colored" YMCA, which served as the headquarters for these eight Black Officers. This type of treatment of blacks was consistent with the racially segregated climate of the day, which was further underscored by the fact that about 25 percent (and possibly more) of the APD at this time were card-carrying members

of the Klu Klux Klan. This fact is highlighted in the book Darktown, written by Thomas Mullen, where he referenced an article published by Newsweek in 1947 that exposed this fact. This fact was also cited by the then Atlanta Police Department Chief Herbert Jenkins as the reason that black officers were not allowed inside the APD headquarters out of fear that white officers would riot and attack black officers on site. While this may have been a valid reason for establishing separate headquarters for the newly added black officers, the true motivation for their addition to the APD was political.
The political backdrop of the late 1940s saw Atlanta Mayor William B. Hartsfield needing black votes to secure his reelection. Cleverly, Atlanta's black leaders demanded the addition of these black officers in exchange for their votes. Although adding black officers to the APD was inevitable in time, who knows how long it would have taken without the political power of the black vote?
It is quite clear that there were significant obstacles for early black police officers, which caused many to leave the police force as a result. However, others persevered and stayed the course, opening the doors for future generations of black police officers. Learn about some of them here.
To find out more about Policing from a Black Perspective and to join our mailing list, visit policingfabp.com. To view the podcast, visit us on YouTube and Facebook.
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