PANEL OF CONTRIBUTORS: Early aviation was a struggle for some PANEL OF CONTRIBUTORS: Early aviation was a struggle for some (December 17, 2003)

By Henry Organ

December 17 marks the 100th anniversary of Orville Wright's first flight, accompanied by his brother, Wilbur, in the dunes of North Carolina. For me, the occasion brings to mind two events.

A few years ago, I was delightfully surprised to read that a fund had been established at the Peninsula Community Foundation in honor of Bessie Smith. Mme. Smith is the first African-American woman to earn a pilot's license. I note that Mme. Smith was unable to receive instruction in the United States because of her race and gender. She earned her license -- in France -- in 1921.

My interest in aircraft began in the late 1930s, in the small country town of Denison, Texas, not far from Paris, Texas.

When I was about 8, a barnstormer dropped in for a visit. He was selling rides for kids in a C-47, a legendary passenger/cargo plane to this day.

This was an occasion, extraordinaire. Our little town had no airport (and still doesn't), but a suitable farm road was found outside town.

After some hours of pleading, my Dad agreed to take me out for a ride.

When we arrived at the site, 15 or 20 kids were there, and it was no surprise that I was the only African-American. When my Dad sought to purchase a ticket for me, the seller said that he could not sell him one because there was no segregated section of the aircraft for me to sit, as required by state law.

To remedy the situation, the pilot said that I could sit with him in the cockpit. There was no state law stating that the cockpit had to be segregated!

I was ecstatic over this unbelievable opportunity, although the other kids were not pleased one bit.

In this case, the pilot did the right thing by finding a way around a racist law, despite the pressure from his other customers and their parents.

Henry Organ lives in Menlo Park and is a member of the Almanac's Panel of Contributors.

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