Digitized Content from African-American Firefighter Cabinet Card | Illinois History and Lincoln Collections

The digitized content of the African-American firefighter Cabinet card (Digitized Content) consists of a cabinet card depicting an African American firefighter in uniform. The card was made by the photography business Huszagh based in Chicago, Illinois.

Chicago's first Black fire department was Engine Company 21, established in 1872. Engine Company 21 was the first fire department to install a fireman’s pole from the fire station’s sleeping space to the ground floor, allowing firefighters to respond more quickly to emergencies. After it became clear that Engine Company 21 consistently arrived at fires before other companies, many other stations began installing fire poles. Black firefighters were officially allowed to join other fire stations in the early 1900s but were often discriminated against and forced to resign or be reassigned to Engine Company 21.

The digitized content consists of a digital copy of a 4.25 by 6.5-inch cabinet card of an African American firefighter, likely a member of Chicago's Engine Company 21. Huszagh, "Artistic Photographer," created the cabinet card. It is undated but likely dates to the later nineteenth century.

The African-American Firefighter Card was completely digitized in 2026. The item is available online at the University of Illinois Digital Library. A preservation copy of the item is available to IHLC and digital preservation staff at the Library Digital Repository: https://medusa.library.illinois.edu/collections/2524