W'ilia Brown (at righi, with an unidentified aviator) wat an early pioneer and avid promoter of aviation, earning her pilot's license in 19.37. She was co-founder. with Cornelius R Colley, of theCoffey School of Aeronautics at Harlem Airport in Chicago, which offered expert flight instruction to blacks unahle to obtain training elsewhere in the state Smthsonian Newt Sanica Photo l o u d « ) ot Harold Hurd The Challenger A ir Pilots Association, formed in 1931. was one of the first U.S. black flying clubs. Harold Hurd, standing beside a Davis D - l- K monoplane, was an active association member and a member of the first black class to graduate from the Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical School. la re co g n itio n o f the need lo r more q u a lifie d pilots o f all races, the Civilian Pilot Training Program was created in 1939 w ith fed eral funds. The program offered blacks an o p p o rtu n ity to receive flig h t tra in in g , though s till on a segregated basis. Schools such as the C o ffe y School o f A e ro n a u tic s , W a s h in g to n . D . C . ’ s H o w a rd University and Alabam a's Tuskegee In s titu te p a rtic ip a te d in the program By 1941, 102 blacks had th eir flying licenses, a tenfold increase in the num ber o f black A m eric an aviato rs in one decade, but still a m iniscule segment o f the tens o f thousands o f p ilo ts in the U n ited States. W ith w ar lo o m in g in E u ro p e , the A rm y A ir Corps decided to open m ilitary careers to blacks, activating the 99th Fighter Squadron in M arch 1941. By 1944, three additional air units joined the 99th, forming the well-known 332nd Fighter G roup under the command o f then-Coloncl Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. During W o rld W ar I I , the 332nd established an im pressive combat record. Serving p rim a rily in Ita ly and N o rth A fric a , the group flew m ore th an 13.000 co m b at sorties and downed 261 a irc ra ft, w inning the coveted D istin gu ised U n it Citation. P a rtic ip a tio n in the w ar e ffo r t brought a new sense o f pride to the black community, an expanded base fo r black involvem ent in av iatio n and a renewed ca ll to end segregation in the arm ed forces. T h a t call was answ ered in 1948 when President H a rry T ru m a n signed Executive Order 9 9 8 1. It was a beg in n in g . T o d a y , th an ks to persistent p io n eers, blacks participate in all aspects o f aviation, in careers ranging from airline pilot to design engineer and space shuttle astronaut. RDER YOURS NOW Thw book ibouW tw m ttw home ot «vary black and wtMia tamdy tn the Mata ot Oregon Thia book it dedicated to the mamonaa ot all the Mack woman who participated m tha Roaa Festival Thia book can ba youre tor only $6.95- at i Sand chack or m oney ordar to M orris Scholarship Inc F O So« 11107 Portland OR 17311 THE EBONY PRINCESSES OFTHE PORTLAND ROSE FESTIVAL 1967 1982 In an effort to open military careers to blac ks, the Army A ir Corps activated the 99th Fighter Squadron in March 1941. The 99th was later joined by three other black squadrons to form the 132nd Fighter Group. D uring the Italian Campaign in 1944, the 3.32nd flew P -3, Mustangs painted with a distinctive red tail marking. The "Red Tails," as they were called, flew more than 13,(XM) combat sorties and downed 261 enemy aircraft. Here, a Red T ail pilot is assisted for takeoff by his crew chief. Portland’s Dr. De Norval Untbank, a black physician, did n't consider him self a civil rights leader, but his tireless service to the com m unity helped remove many racial barriers In 1958 Dr. Unthank was named D octor o f the Year" by the Oregon Medical Association. He co-founded the Portland Urban League and was named “ Citizen o f the Year" by the National Conference o f Christians and Jews. On behalf o f o u r com m unity. KOIN-TV th a n k s Dr. Unthank. S mit M o n iin New» Servici Photo courtesy of Harold Hurd a KOH-TV S fT M lh io n tm f Service Photo courtesy o