William J. Powell was an American engineer, soldier, civil aviator and author who is credited with promoting aviation among the African-American community. Along with Bessie Coleman and James Banning, he is recognized as a pioneer aviator and a civil rights activist. Powell was optimistic about the prospects of African Americans in aviation, and believed that their involvement in the industry would help end racial prejudice at a time of widespread segregation under the Jim Crow laws. [Wikipedia] The Craftsmen of Black Wings, Inc., was a Los Angeles area high school program to learn how to build, repair, and pilot aircraft. It was founded by William J. Powell. Advertisement for Craftsmen of Black Wings, Inc., with a photograph of a plane owned by Craftsmen, and four photographs of men and women, including a studio portrait of Albert Fisher, a wing commander, and a photo of transport pilot Al Anderson. Caption: Plane owned by Craftsmen of Black Wings / Center, left---Licensed Pilots, Center right- Licensed Pilots, Lower, left---Albert Fisher, Wing Commander, Lower, right---Transport Pilot, Parachute Jumper-Al Anderson.
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image
Identifier
uclalsc_1889_b19_f29_007.tif ark:/21198/z1nz9rs8
Subject
African American women air pilots African American civic leaders African Americans in aeronautics African American air pilots Craftsmen of Black Wings (Organization) Anderson, Al Powell, William J., 1899-1942 Fisher, Albert
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