As the celebration of Black History Month continues, we can not forget the brave men and women who have forever shaped aviation and space exploration despite facing huge obstacles. The Air and Space Museum in Chantilly held an event today to honor these pioneers.
The 1920's and 30's is called the golden age of flight. It was also a time of tremendous discrimination and a time when African Americans were denied basic rights.
"Flights schools are not open to them, they're not allowed to be in the military. To accomplish through all the doubting, African Americans had to prove everyone wrong," said Dorothy Cochrane, curator of General Aviation at the Air and Space Museum.
The exhibit features anyone from Bessie Coleman, the first black woman or man to receive a pilots license, to Chauncey Spencer and Dale White, who flew to Washington, DC to meet with Congress about integrating Blacks into aviation. The duo would make quite the impression on then-senator Harry S. Truman, who would later integrate the Air force in 1948.
