Awed by its craftsmanship, the instructor informed
The friends persuaded one of the school's instructors to inspect the plane and take a ride. Then, together with the help of Coffey and otherĪviation enthusiasts, they built a small airplane from a purchased airplane kit and a used motorcycle motor. While on the job, he listened in on classes, and at home he read books and papers he collected from the school's trash cans. Undaunted, Robinson convinced the school to hire him as a maintenance worker. However, upon learning that the two mechanics were black, the school revoked their admission. They applied to the Curtiss-Wright School of Aeronautics in Chicago and were accepted. Men wanted to learn to fly and both were inspired by pioneering, Chicago aviatrix Bessie Coleman who overcame racial and sexual barriers to become a licensed pilot. Robinson met in Detroit, Michigan, where they were working as auto mechanics. In the 1920s, Cornelius Coffey and John C.
Skies and in the process helped open the door for blacks to train and fly as pilots in World War II.Ĭhicago's significant role in the black aviation movement began with two eager, young men who shared a passion for flying. When flying was still a novelty, these men and women took to the From Riots to Renaissance: Black Aviationīlack Chicago is synonymous with jazz and the blues, but few know about the city's courageous black pilots who changed aviation history.
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