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It Almost Didn't Happen
1910
Samuel J. Battle worked as a redcap before becoming a police officer. In 1910, Samuel J. Battle became the first Black man to pass the civil service for the NYPD but was ejected by the police department because their surgeon said he had a heart murmur, and therefore was not fit for duty.
Battle, on the advice of a fellow doorman of the Brooklyn PD (Thomas Peyton Sr.), got another medical doctor to evaluate him. Later on, Samuel J. Battle addressed this later on in life by saying,
"They turned me down three times, but the people who turned me down are all dead and gone, and my heart still seems to be in good shape."
To read more about this and other stories, check out One Righteous Man by Arthur Browne.
To read more about this and other stories, check out The Black Shields by Roger L. Abel.
#110Battle Stories
View other stories told by today's police
In collaboration with the Black Police Experience (BPX) and the National Association of Black Law Enforcement Officers, Inc (NABLEO), we want to commemorate the heroics of Samuel J. Battle by asking black law enforcement to share their stories. If you find a story on the Battle Continues.. timeline that you can relate to, please share.
Join the Timeline
Our timeline of untold stories is a collection of black law enforcement stories that will serve to illustrate their lived experiences and the need to transform police policies, practices, and consciousness. The Battle begins with Samuel J. Battle but continues as we commemorate the 110th year of blacks in law enforcement in NYC. Submit your story and help to create a pathway to justice.
Your story will contribute to the timeline, we will not display your name and we reserve the right to display the information that you provide. All submissions may not be used at this time and those selected will receive confirmation.
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It Almost Didn't Happen