BHM: Breaking barriers in aviation

DELMARVA – Many barriers have been broken in aviation for African Americans.

In 1925, a study was done by the War Department that talked about:

“The inability of negroes to go to combat, to have the sufficient brain size, to be able to handle stress of combat or do complicated things such as fly airplanes or work on airplanes”, Lt. Col. R. Michael Hales, Director of Aviation Programs at Delaware State University.

Lieutenant Colonel Michael Hales tells 47ABC about the hardships of black people in war. He explains Black people were not able to be in charge of anything, rather they were told what to do. All while being published throughout the military forces, without the acknowledgment of African Americans’ work. Colonel Hales says it was not until an election year when President Roosevelt was under pressure from the Black press to change the language of the civilian pilot program.

That program built the pool of available pilots in case World War 2 broke out. Ultimately making training programs at local universities able to do flight training, one of those being Delaware state university.

“All those kinds of things were huge examples of hey wait a minute we can prove Blacks could learn how to fly could go off into the military and do great things and have great accomplishments and contribute to the defense of the united states,” says the Colonel.

DSU restarted its pilot program in 1987 and since then 100% of its pilots have gotten hired. Delaware State University will be holding a program open to the public Thursday night to talk about the barriers in aviation for Black people. For more information visit their website.