the central-alameda neighborhood of south los angeles was an area of sprawling american craftsmen style homes. its residents had initially been mostly white, but by 1930 the neighborhood had changed to predominantly black. by 1950 it was home to two all-black, segregated fire stations (fire station no. 14 and fire station no. 30). 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.