Claim: Fire Chief Engineer of Los Angeles, John Alderson assigned black firefighters from segregated fire stations to all-white fire houses.
Evidence: Before the results of this committee was heard, the commissioners ordered Alderson to integrate, which he began to do. 4 black firefighters were sent to other houses from the 2 segregated ones and tensions ramped up, of course the Fact Finding Committee reported back to the commission that under no circumstances should integration occur. It had gotten so bad, by the end of 1955, Chief Alderson removed the men from the white firehouses (so-called 'Hate Houses'), for their safety, much to the chagrin of the fire commission, which then fired him for insubordination. The Fire Chief Engineer of Los Angeles, John Alderson, was regarded by black residents as a staunch segregationist who was preventing the integration of the LAFD.