Fourth president of the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters
Romeo Spaulding was and is a living landmark not only in Washington D.C. but in the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters as well. He took the fight for the rights of black firefighters to the courthouse and the White House.
Serving eight years as the President of the IABPFF he reached across all regions to unite this organization. He was also a founding member of the Executive Development Institute (EDI). Under his leadership we developed a community footprint with fire and life safety education in churches, daycares, and civic organizations.
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Romeo Orlando Spaulding was born on August 27, 1940, in Whiteville, North Carolina, to Ralph and Sarah Spaulding. Raised alongside two brothers and five sisters, he attended Farmers Union Elementary School and later Artesia High School in Hallsboro, North Carolina. Even in his youth, Spaulding demonstrated a commitment to advocacy. As Student Council President, he worked to address educational inequities and successfully integrated local drive-in movies and theaters. Following his high school graduation, he moved to Washington, D.C., and enrolled in Howard University majoring in Math, with a minor in Engineering.
During his time at Howard University, Spaulding was deeply involved in campus life and the broader community. He served in the Air Force ROTC from 1958 to 1960 and participated in the university choir and marching band, eventually becoming a University Band Leader. He also worked as the Sports Editor for the “Hilltop” newspaper. In 1960, leveraging his role with the “Hilltop” he successfully initiated and led the fight to desegregate the Columbia Hospital for Women, which was the country’s leading OBGYN facility at the time. His efforts resulted in the dismantling of segregated wards and staffing assignments, the hiring of the first Black OBGYN doctor, and the promotion of Black nurses to leadership positions. Spaulding eventually served as the hospital’s assistant procurement officer.
Romeo Spaulding’s personal life and professional service began to take shape in the early 1960s. He hosted the Gospel TV program “Mahalia Jackson Sings” on WOOK TV from 1961 to 1962 and married Annette Richardson on January 23, 1962. Together they raised five children and an adopted nephew. On October 24, 1965, Spaulding joined the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Department, beginning a career that would span nearly 27 years. Simultaneously he furthered his education in Fire Science Administration at the University of the District of Columbia and through the National Fire Academy.
Throughout the late 1960s and 1970s, Spaulding balanced his fire service career with intense community activism. In 1967, he became a Charter Member of the Progressive Fire Fighters Association (PFA), which joined the International Association of Black Professional Fire Fighters (IABPFF) in 1970. Outside the firehouse, he became a central figure in local education, serving as a mediator during the Prince George’s County busing issue in 1972 and becoming the first Black Treasurer of the county’s Council of PTAs. His dedication to education was such that he was eventually named the National School Volunteer of the Year, chosen from nominees across 16,000 school districts, and he organized “Hands Across the City for Education” with 130,000 participants.
By 1978, Spaulding had shifted his primary focus back to the Black Firefighter movement. Within the D.C. Fire Department, he rose through the ranks to Lieutenant and Acting Captain, eventually serving as the Director of the Community Relations Unit beginning in 1987. In 1988, he assumed the role of Executive Director of the IABPFF, a position he held until 2002. During this period, he led high-profile marches against the Department of Justice and other organizations to demand equality in hiring and promotion practices.
After retiring from active fire service on August 22, 1992, Romeo Spaulding continued to lead and serve. In 1992, he co-founded the IABPFF’s Executive Development Institute at Florida A&M University. His activism remained potent, as evidenced by his role as an organizer and leader for the Million Man March in 1995. He also served on the advisory board of the Congressional Fire Services Institute and as a UN Representative for the International Human Rights Association of America. More recently, Spaulding has dedicated himself to faith and family heritage. He holds the title of President Emeritus of the IABPFF and has served in numerous church leadership roles, including 22 years as Sunday School Superintendent at Bethel Bible Church. Currently, he serves as a Worship Song Leader and Historian at Clinton Grace Church. Romeo Spaulding is a Regional Director for the Benjamin and Edith Spaulding Descendants Association (BESDA) and serves on the National Board and the Foundation Board for BESDA.
Spaulding’s lifetime of exceptional service has been recognized by numerous organizations and government bodies including:
• Who’s Who Worldwide (1994)
• Who’s Who in America (1990)
• National School Volunteer of the Year (1989)
• Theodore Hagans Award Finalist for Outstanding Community Service (1989)
• Firefighter of the Year by Fire House Magazine (1988)
• Outstanding Christian Man of the Year, Bethel Bible Church (1988)
• Theodore Hagans Award Finalist for Outstanding Community Service (1987)
• Congressional Commendation for Outstanding Contributions to the National Fire Service
• Washington, D.C. Mayor’s Certificate of Merit Award for Outstanding and Exceptional Service
• D.C. Council Resolution for Outstanding Community Service
• National Fire Protection Association Leadership Recognition
• Interior Department/BLM Service Award
• Service recognition from the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Camp Fire Girls/Boys organizations