When Linda Lockhart joined the Charlotte Fire Department in 1982, she was leaping into a decidedly macho – and overwhelmingly white – world.

Linda Lockhart, who retires today after 25 years with the Charlotte Fire Department, was the first African American woman to join the service and second woman overall.

Photo/Paul Williams, III

On Thursday, she’s retiring from a more diverse service.

Lockhart, Charlotte’s first African American woman firefighter, is leaving after 25 years that brought changes in the workplace and the role of women.

“I can’t wait to get out. It’s been an interesting 25 years,” she said. “We’ve been through a lot, but I made it through.”

From the start, Lockhart stood out. At 4-feet, 11 inches tall, she was much smaller than her colleagues. Then there was Lockhart’s gender, which didn’t endear her to her new colleagues. There were no gender-specific accomodations at fire stations, where women had to use the same restrooms and dormitories as the men.

“Linda came in when it was rare for women to be in the service, much less black women,” said Deputy Chief Howard Key. “Just her tenure is something to be praised.”

Firehouse oversights paled in comparison to the hositility Lockhart and other women faced on the job. Men firefighters, unaccustomed to having women in the ranks, ignored her and often left Lockhart to fend for herself. But she soldiered on.

“It was brutal,” said Grady Lockhart, Linda’s husband of 28 years. “She’d come home crying, but if it’s worth having, it’s worth the struggle.”

Ultimately, Linda Lockhart pushed for equality on the job. CFD ultimately incorporated separate accomodations for women in addition to family leave.

“The other women accepted a lot of things, but they weren’t ready for women with the policies,” Lockhart said.

Lockhart found her stride and ultimately became a mentor to younger firefighters, especially women and people of color. Seven African American women firefighters have been hired by the department. Thirty-six women are among CFD’s 970 firefighters.

“Over the years, Linda took it upon herself to mentor other women to sustain them over a long period of time,” Key said.
Said Lockhart: “Whenever they needed me, I was there for the cause.”

The inherent danger of firefighting requires teamwork, which Lockhart said makes her time with CFD memorable. She’s grateful to have worked with professionals who were dedicated to the job and each other.

“You always had somebody with you and we always had good equipment,” she said. “It was never a one-person job, even though a lot of people don’t realize it.”

“She finally got people’s acceptance,” Grady Lockhart said. “There was some resentment, some racism, but she sticks to challenges.”

Lockhart, 49, has no plans to slow down. A pharmacy technician at Carolinas Medical Center, she’s considering earning a pharmacy degree. She’s also mulling an offer to return to CFD as an administrator.

“We’re not sure what direction she’s going to take, but she has plenty of options,” Grady Lockhart says. “It’s not like she’s going to be staying at home.”

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