- The Influence of Willa Brown upon Aviation
- Willa brown contributed significantly in the field of aviation. From a commerce teacher in high school she went to Chicago where she met with Robinson john and Coffey Cornelius who were both pilots. They gave technical know how to mechanics in an attempt to repair and keep the aeroplanes in good condition. Bessie Coleman was a mentor to Willa Brown. She followed the skills of her mentor until she was successful in her endeavors. Her involvement in aviation was the toughest decision that she made bearing in mind the perception of the whites towards the blacks in those times. She was black and a female a situation that shows her character as strong-willed (Robert, 2007).
- The whites in her time had a view of the blacks as inferior and women were weak according to the view of the whites. The decision of venturing in aviation may have been a challenge to her but through her hard work and determination she knew that she would beat all the challenges in her way. Her influence is evident in politics with her achievements raising attention to most leaders. Her achievements made people who belittled women develop some positive aspects of them. After death of her mentor, Brown made a significant achievement of performing an organization of memorial fly -over of her mentor in his grave. Willa Brown became the first woman with African originality to acquire a pilot’s license. This achievement was influential to both to aspiring pilots and the rest of the people (Robert, 2007).
- She acted as mentor to other people as many admired her achievements. In politics, she acquired recognition that led her to high grounds. The success of Willa Brown originates from her mentor who before her death intended to start her own aviation school for use by African Americans. The discrimination based on race and gender in the United States in those days did not give her a chance to attend American aviation schools. Instead, she had gone to France where she studied aviation and acquired her license. The strengths shown by Coleman stirred the actions of Willa Brown. She studied from an aeronautical university formed by black men to train pilots (George, Hill & Rasmussen, 1993).
- The field of aviation was a venture for men alone. This was according to the white men in the present time. This perception made many black women aspiring to join aviation face challenges. Most of them gave up and ventured in other fields where the males did not dominate. Willa brown made a considerable influence to the Negro race. The Coffey flying school and Willa brown made attempts to move the secondary aviation training school to Chicago. The move was to help the blacks who went through segregation. The alienation by the whites did not let the black’s access schools. This made them create schools for blacks. Willa brown and her close allies were the epitome of the changes that occurred in those times (Hamil, 2003).
- The blacks were capable of performing flight operations that the white racists did not believe was possible. The racists shouted and stared at an airplane being under control of a black person. A time came when the white leaders agreed a military airbase set up in the near where they were. The changes in mind by the leaders may be because of the influence by the pioneers like Willa brown. Although the set up had an economic impact, it is not clear if the leaders took an economic consideration before they accepted the operation. Willa brown became a member of the national aviators association of America. The aim of this association was to influence the government to accept recruitment of blacks in the army (Hamil, 2003).
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- The whites discriminated the blacks and so the blacks could not get a chance to participate in the army. Willa Brown credentials were astounding; the United States government upon an examination of her qualifications and credentials found it necessary to incorporate her in the training program of civil air patrol located in Chicago. She was a federal coordinator and was an officer in the first unit of integration. Her effort is responsible for the creation of a famous Tuskegee Airmen. The Tuskegee aviators group became a medium through which the United States military incorporated the blacks. The moves made by Willa in the period she lived were influencing to both the civilians and the government. Through her efforts, she achieved a lot in the aviation field (Shirley, 2008). She had the will power in making sure that there is a significant change of improvements in the aviation industry.
- . The blacks especially women were accepted and the notion of the whites that the women were inferior and weak was forgotten slowly. Her influence in the political scene is not something that the historians will forget. Her pioneering spirit was an admiration by many people and, her influence in the aviation field. Not many women and black people would have achieved the status in the 1900s were it not for the work of these pioneers. The training of pilots in private aviation school convinced the government, those women and the black people had the potential of bigger achievements just like the whites. The mentor of Willa brown is aviatrix because she mentored various people in the aviation field. Brown studied mechanics before joining the air pilot association. She went to an extent of studying master’s degree in the field contrary to most women. Challenged by the white government methods of governance, brown did not give-up. In combination with Coffey, they helped promote aviation interests of the black race. With their help, the black cadets became part of the Americas forces as pilots (GREEN, 2008).
- Willa Brown as an outstanding aviation icon contributed in the institution of Coffey School of Aeronautics in conjunction with Lieutenant Cornelius R. Coffey. The main of this institution was to train young people who wanted to join the career of piloting and bring positive impact in the aviation field. She was as a motivating icon in the field of aviation despite being a woman, which really encouraged the African American (Hamil, 2003). This made the then discriminated students from the African American origin raise above the then prejudices. Coffey School of Aeronautics by then for the next proceeding seven years managed to produce approximately two hundred pilots. These pilots afterwards joined 99th Pursuit Squadron that yielded to the military integration (Thompson, 2004). Since then, many pilots have gained essential education concerning the aviation industry.
- Willa endeavors managed to create and stabilize Squadron, thus contributing immensely in the military due to the expertise attained from the institution she pioneered its establishment (Thompson, 2004). This acted as a real booster in paving the way for the increase of African American young people’s consideration in military. Willa from her own funds and passion she had for aviation in its entirety, she managed to co-establish National Airman’s association of America (Hamil, 2003). The organization’s real core was to ensure that African Americans had an equal enrollment chance in the United States air force.
- Willa despite her efforts in ensuring that she made other fellow origin youngsters be included in the military, she acquainted herself with immense expertise ranging from aviation to the mechanic. This knowledge made her be highly esteemed where she went, ventured, and assumed respectable posts that were male dominated (Current Events, 2000). This not only did they earn her great fame but also it acted as a sign of hope to the then students who wanted to emulate her and how she has made to the top position. Her single and core responsibility in training 200 students quite encouraged them and made them be the best who then became Tuskegee pilots (Current Events, 2000).
- Willa the only black woman in her time to own airplane and licensed in America in her time due to her tireless efforts and ambition she demonstrated in her career. After successful lobbying of American congress to integrate African Americans in civilian piloting, she became the director for Civil Aeronautics Administration and a competent in 1941 (Hamil, 2003). This was still in the process of encouraging many students especially from his color to venture in the field of aviation together with girls. Brown lived aviation life, which was evident in her role through radio station in promoting the aviation (Current Events, 2000).
- Until to the time of her death, she bore a highly reputation in the American aviation cycles which prompted her to have respect from the aviation’s key icons (Thompson, 2004). At her demise in the age 86 years, she was an activist, competent instructor and a highly respected aviator with a lot of immense knowledge. Despite being a woman in a men’s tough career, she managed to enable almost thrice the number of students in aviation documented. This was contrary to American congress norms that, its nature meant discrimination (Sue, 2010).
- Willa brown’s achievements had a profound impact among her fellow African American people especially students whom she met as a teacher while teaching in high school. She influenced confidence in her students coupled with her continual assurance that they can also attain in life (Current Events, 2000). This made numerous African American rises to the level of being competent aviators and served in American air force. The government allocated a chance to the citizens prior to her intervention with continued activism, but she managed to lobby the congress to her wishes (USA Today Magazine, 2011). As an administrator, she managed to pioneer very delicate and demanding organization against numerous challenging, predicaments that presented in her career. This comprised of Federal Aviation Administration and women related groups to encourage them to rise to a higher note in life.
- Willa’ efforts and intelligence made her appointed as the federal coordinator of the Chicago unit in charge of Civil Air Patrol (Thompson, 2004). This was a higher rank which an African ever woman ever attained besides American by the government in appreciation of her efforts. Through her credentials, Willa brown contributed immensely in the aviation field and even in the lives of those who wanted to emulate her due to her courage and ambitions (Current Events, 2000). Her outstanding character and expertise mainly administration enabled her to succeed in the fields and ranks American government appointed her. Hence, placing Willa in a better position to implement and initiate some of the numerous changes that were mandatory to bring change in aviation especially in America and military air force (Hamil, 2003).
- Through her contribution as a teacher, the spend efforts’ currently are felt and noticed through the continual of already changes she influenced and bargained for in her lifetime (Current Events, 2000). These include the integration of African American people in both air force and military. In addition, some of the already leadership aspects especially integrity with pushing for the minority rights in aviation is evident in the aviation field (USA Today Magazine, 2011). It is essential to note that being a lady these efforts and contributions are not that insignificant and worth respect which the American regime especially aviation still today pays a tribute to her (Thompson, 2004).
- Another of the major contributions that Willa Brown achieved includes becoming the first woman to make a professional pitch concerning an African-American air show. The show was to focus on main agenda concerning the developments that were necessary to be the first priority in the aviation industry. According to Brown, her main objective was to see that the American aviation reached the highest standard and was the best in the whole world. After she made the step of announcing the showcase, about more than three hundred talented pilots managed to attend. The conference was in Chicago and most many pilots managed to attend (Current Events, 2000). This was an achievement according to Brown considering that the black pilots failed to get a chance to express their views concerning major aviation issues. According to many academics, brown managed to break the ethnicity gap that existed in the aviation industry.
- Brown managed to give a chance to many African Americas to join in the Aviation industry through the Coffey School. She was able to make a way for many black youths to join the Army Air Force after receiving aviation education in Coffee School. Unfortunately, many of the young black men did not manage to have an opportunity of joining the Air force due to factors that include racism and nepotism. According to the history, Brown was an achiever for having brought the end of racism in the Air force during her time as the director of the Coffey School (S.W, 1997). Her bibliography indicates that she handled most the administrative work in the school despite being a professional pilot. She also handled promotional responsibilities in the school. This both opportunities made her gain the recommended knowledge of administrative and promotional departments. Brown applied the knowledge in the aviation industry and managed to bring significant changes.
- Having the ability to obtain various opportunities in her life, Brown came up with different strategic changes within her line of duty. She was able to manage and contribute much in the Civil Aeronautics Administration. According to the history of this organization, Brown played a key role in the strategic management. She demonstrated her active abilities in every section that she was appointed to lead during her time as a renowned pilot. While she was a lieutenant in the Civil Air Patrol, she managed to play an active role in the human resource department. Upon this time, she managed to have more than 1000 young black men employed in the armed forces (Robert, 2007). While Brown was still in the office, she managed to help many black young men to obtain scholarships in most of the colleges in America.
- Brown was a motivator for many young men in the whole of America. She managed to make a group of successful young men during her time as a leader in aviation industry and a role model. She walked in the whole of America encouraging many of the young men to join the aviation courses. According to Brown, the ability of a young person to have a bright future was the only way of making a society free of immoral activities (Phil, 2004). Many of the young black men were involved in various intimidating activities and the only way to make them out of these behaviors was to find various activities that they could engage in. during her campaigns for education of young men, she managed to attend a conference in Washington. While she was in the conference, she managed to pursue the federal government to award contracts that would enable more African American young men join colleges that offer aviation courses. She also managed to offer various aviation recruitment activities to the interested young men in the whole of America.
- Brown managed to train many pilots during the World War 2 while she was performing as a senior pilot in the American armed forces. She managed train many men in becoming mechanics during the war. According to the history of the American Armed Forces, Willa Brown trained many of the soldiers that got the best experience in the aviation services in the war (Sue, 2010). The armed force recognizes the contribution of Brown in making sure that every pilot of her period maintained the high standard of experience that the aviation department was requiring. There were less incidences of aeroplane accidents that the armed forces officials recorded during the time when Brown was the leader of the aviation (Shirley, 2008).
- Until her death, Brown was an advocate for more development in aviation. She managed to make changes in many of the departments of the aviation. She managed to have many African American young men employed in the armed forces. Her main achievements in the department of aviation especially in the Armed forces since she was a young pilot have been a great lesson to many of the young pilots. The government of America recognizes Brown for her role in ensuring that every department in of aviation was successful. Many academics figure Brown as a role model to many women and her contributions ought to motivate them that even gender should not be a limitation for achieving various goals in life (GREEN, 2008). She managed to make sure the department of management that would take care of emergencies in the aviation industry. Brown will always be in the minds of citizens for her contribution in aviation of the United States. The contribution that Brown made towards the development of American aviation ought is of significant influence towards nowadays technology.
- References
- Current Events. (2000). Black Eagles. Current Events; 99(18), p2A, 4p.
Hamil R. H. (2003). Black Airmen's Lofty Service. Washington Post. 12(2), p45-52, 5p - GREEN, M. D. (2008). BLACK PILOTS. Ebony, 33 (3), p58-66, 6p.
- Phil, S. (2011). THE BLACKBIRDS TAKE WING. Aviation History, 21(4), p50-53, 4p.
- Robert, T. (2007). "A Critic Who Was Worthy of Her": The Writing of Willa Cather: A Critical Biography. Cather Studies; 7 (1), p303-328, 26p.
- S.W. (1997). Willa Brown, aviation pioneer. Cobblestone, 18(2), p10, 2p.
- Shirley, H. (2006). FLYING HIGH WITH FEMALE PILOTS. Ebony, 61(6), p68-74, 4p.
- Sue, B. A. (2010). Beyond Amelia Earhart: Teaching about the History of Women Aviators. OAH Magazine of History, 24(3), p39-44, 6p.
- Thompson, G. L. (2004). BLACK ENGINEERS OF THE YEAR, 50 Years after Brown. U.S. Black Engineer & Information Technology; 28(1), p28-65, 21p.
- USA Today Magazine. (2011). "Black Wings" Soaring to New Heights. USA Today Magazine; 139(2793), p6-7, 2p.
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