Augustus A. Beekman

Augustus Anthony Beekman (March 28, 1923 – November 29, 2008) was the 23rd New York City Fire Commissioner.

Biography

He was born on March 28, 1923 at Harlem Hospital in New York City and grew up in the Catholic Church-run orphanage, Little Flower Home, in Wading River, New York.^[1] and was appointed the 23rd Fire Commissioner of the City of New York by Mayor Edward I. Koch on January 17, 1978 and served in that position until his resignation on November 5, 1980. He was the second African-American Fire Commissioner in the history of that position.^[2] Beekman died on November 29, 2008.^[3] He is survived by his wife and two children.

References

1. "Augustus A. Beekman Obituary". News Blaze. December 1, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2010. He was born on March 28, 1923 in Harlem Hospital in New York City and grew up at Little Flower in Wading River, Long Island. He was honorably discharged after serving in the United States Army during WWII. He graduated Phi Beta Kappa from City College of the City University of New York, received his Masters Degree from Queens College and was bestowed an honorary PhD from St. John's University.
2. "Beekman, Augustus A.". New York Times. December 4, 2008. Retrieved March 11, 2010.
3. "The Trumpet" (PDF). Uniformed Fire Officers Association. March 2009. Retrieved March 11, 2010.