Elected officials and family members who lost loved ones during the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack joined the New York City Fire Department (FDNY’s) historic Black Vulcan Society at their annual memorial garden service in Brooklyn last week.
On that day, 343 New York City firefighters died, 12 of them were Black. They were listed as: Gerard Baptiste, Capt. Vernon Cherry, Tarel Coleman, Andre Fletcher, Keith Glascoe, Ronnie Henderson, William Henry, Karl Henri Joseph, Keithroy Maynard, Vernon Richard, Shawn Powell, and Leon Smith Jr.
“May their legacy of bravery inspire future generations of firefighters and citizens alike,” said FDNY Fire Chaplain Dr. Rev. V. Simpson Turner Jr. “As we remember the lives lost, let us recommit ourselves to living with the same courage, faith, and love that defined these twelve and the 343.”
At the First Quincy Community Garden in Bedstuy, the Black Vulcans and family members read the names of each of the fallen firefighters while they placed roses on the garden’s monument in remembrance and solidarity. The rest of the ceremony was held under a tent in the blocked-off street in front of the garden.
“From the moment we take the oath to serve, ‘never forget,’ becomes who we are as firefighters. It is both a promise and a responsibility that we will always honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice,” said FDNY President of the Vulcan Society Jonathan Logan.
“This is a very solemn occasion. I was down at the 9/11 [site] 24 years ago, and I almost didn’t make it to be with you here today. I’m grateful for this,” said FDNY Assistant Deputy Commissioner of External Partnerships James “Jim” Harding.
The event was attended by elected officials like New York State Attorney General Letitia James; Assemblymembers Latrice Walker and Stefani Zinerman; Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, and Public Advocate Jumaane Williams.
Members of the FDNY’s Black Vulcan Society. 
FDNY’s Black Vulcan Society 9/11 memorial service in Brooklyn. 
From left to right: FDNY Fire Chaplain Dr. Rev. V. Simpson Turner Jr., NYS Attorney General Letitia James; NYS Assemblymembers Latrice Walker and Stefani Zinerman, Bronx Borough President Vanessa Gibson, NYC Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, and FDNY Assistant Deputy Commissioner Jim Harding. 
Assemblymember Stefani Zinerman (at podium) speaking to family members of firefighters lost in the 9/11 terrorist attack. 
Irene Smith, mother of fallen firefighter Leon Smith Jr., lays down rose on 9/11 monument. 
NYS Attorney General James lays down rose on 9/11 monument.
“For the lives that we lost, understanding to be Black and to be a firefighter, to be Black and be in these spaces where you can’t be too happy or sad, can’t be too angry, even though you’re being treated and seen differently,” said Williams. “Their memories and legacies expand so far, and I can’t imagine what the families had to go through.”
“We stand with you today as you honor this solemn day in remembrance. Not only for New Yorkers, but people around the world who love freedom. Because at the end of the day, we recognize that this day is about freedoms,” said Walker. “What we learned is that freedom is not free.”
Additionally, the Vulcan Society mourned the loss of retired firefighter Elbert Washington, who passed away on August 28, 2025.
Washington joined the FDNY in 1973. He served with distinction in some of the city’s busiest fire companies, including Engine 290, Squad Company One, and Rescue 2. He was the past president of the Vulcan Society and was one of the FDNY’s most decorated Black firefighters until his retirement in 1999.
Washington was honored with the Captain Denis W. Lane medal for rescuing an off-duty police officer from a fire, along with receiving countless citations for other heroic acts of courage, said the Vulcan Society.
“The Vulcan Society extends heartfelt condolences to the Washington family,” said Logan, in a statement. “Elbert Washington was, and will remain, a beacon — of honor, of progress, of hope. His footsteps guide us still.”
His funeral services were held at Greater St. Stephen United Church of God in Brooklyn on Monday, September 15, 2025.