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In his 70-page ruling, Justice Nicholas Garaufis took aim at the FDNY's predominantly white make-up, saying it results from a longstanding and illegal testing policy that intentionally discriminates against black and Hispanic candidates.

Of the department's roughly 11,500 firefighters, roughly 350 are black, or three percent. Another six percent are Hispanic.

The ruling came after a lawsuit filed in 2007 by the department's black firefighters' union, the Vulcan Society.

"We're happy. We feel vindicated that what we've been saying all along. The judge also agreed. And his decision left no room for any real debate," said Paul Washington of the Vulcan Society.

"It is a bittersweet victory in the sense that it is 40 years too late. This should have been addressed earlier," said Vincent Warren of the Center for Constitutional Rights. "But we have to now move forward and make sure that as the city makes plans to make changes in this, that they make changes that are designed to remedy this discrimination, so that we can have a firefighter force, just like every other major city in the country that reflects adequately its citizens."

Meanwhile, the city has long disputed any claims of discrimination, saying the tests are fair and there's no evidence they ever intended to discriminate against black applicants.

In a statement released Wednesday, city law officials said, "It is the City's view that there is simply no evidence that the City ever intended to discriminate against black applicants."

The FDNY points out that roughly one-third of its last graduating class in December 2008 were minorities.

The judge has not yet ruled on a remedy.