Black Wings: American Dreams of Flight
Black Wings charts the groundbreaking, history-making, and patriotic paths of some very valiant men and women. This group of aviators is extraordinary; from Bessie Coleman securing a pilot’s license, through the Tuskegee Airmen and the integration of our armed forces, to Guy Bluford in space, the exhibition and its related content reveal a moving adventure and spirit of path finding. Other scholarship and exhibition projects have explored African American aviation pioneers and their efforts to gain recognition as pilots. The tale of their struggles typically culminates in a commemoration of the Tuskegee Airmen and their heroics during the Second World War. Black Wings will follow the same narrative arch but use the Tuskegee Airmen as a jumping off point to tell the untold story of African American aviation in the last 65 years. The content of the proposed exhibition is based on the newly published book of the same title by National Air and Space Museum curator, Von Hardesty. The show will cover significant figures, events, and themes associated with African Americans in aviation and aerospace history.
Organized by Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Services (SITES).