January 16, 1943 Marcelite Jordan Harris, the first African American female General in the United States Air Force, was born in Houston, Texas. Harris earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in speech and drama from Spelman College in 1964 and was commissioned through Officer Training School in 1965. She has held a variety of assignments, […]
Tag Archives | Air Force
Frederick Drew Gregory – January 7th in African American History
January 7, 1941 Frederick Drew Gregory, the first African American to pilot a space shuttle, was born in Washington, D. C. Gregory earned his Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Air Force Academy in 1964 and was a decorated helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War.
Max Robinson – December 20th in African American History
December 20, 1988 Max Robinson, broadcast journalist, died. Robinson was born May 1, 1939 in Richmond, Virginia. He attended several colleges and briefly served in the United States Air Force before receiving a medical discharge. Robinson began his television career in 1959 in Portsmouth, Virginia where he had to read the news while hidden behind […]
John William “Johnny” Bristol – February 3rd in African American History
February 3, 1939 John William “Johnny” Bristol, musician, songwriter, and record producer, was born in Morganton, North Carolina. After serving in the United States Air Force, Bristol recorded several singles before his label was absorbed by Motown Records in the mid-1960s. At Motown, he teamed with Harvey Fuqua to write and produce some of their […]
December 18th in African American History – Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr.
December 18, 1912 Benjamin Oliver Davis, Jr., commander of the World War II Tuskegee Airman, was born in Washington, D.C. After attending the University of Chicago, Davis entered the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1932. Despite shunning by his classmates, never having a roommate, and being forced to eat alone, he earned […]
February 25th in African American History – Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr.
February 25, 1978 Daniel “Chappie” James, Jr., the first African American to achieve the rank of general, died. James was born February 11, 1920 in Pensacola, Florida. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Tuskegee Institute in 1942.
February 1st in African American History – Michael Phillip Anderson
February 1, 2003 Michael Phillip Anderson, NASA astronaut, was killed along with the rest of the crew of STS-107 Columbia when the craft disintegrated after reentry into the earth’s atmosphere. Anderson was born December 25, 1959 in Plattsburgh, New York. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in physics and astronomy from the University of […]