Azellia White facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Azellia White
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| Born | June 3, 1913 Gonzales, Texas, U.S.
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| Died | September 15, 2019 (aged 106) Houston, Texas
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| Occupation | Aviator |
| Spouse(s) | Hulon White |
Azellia White (June 3, 1913 – September 15, 2019) was an amazing American aviator. She was one of the very first African-American women to earn a pilot's license in the United States. Azellia showed everyone that women and African Americans could definitely fly airplanes! She and her husband, Hulon White, even ran their own airport and flight school called Sky Ranch Flying Service. It was a special place for African-American pilots.
Azellia's Early Life and Flying Dreams
In 1936, Azellia married Hulon "Pappy" White. Five years later, they moved to Tuskegee, Alabama. Hulon worked there as an airplane mechanic with the famous Tuskegee Airmen. These were brave African-American military pilots and airmen who fought in World War II.
Azellia was inspired by a visit from Eleanor Roosevelt in 1941. Mrs. Roosevelt encouraged her husband, President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to let the Tuskegee Airmen fly in the war. Azellia started her own flight training in Tuskegee. She flew a Taylorcraft airplane. Her teachers were some of the Tuskegee Airmen themselves! She earned her private pilot's license on March 26, 1946.
Sky Ranch Flying Service
After World War II ended, the Whites moved to South Houston. In 1946, they started the Sky Ranch Flying Service. They worked with two Tuskegee Airmen, Ben Stevenson and Elton "Ray" Thomas.
The Sky Ranch Flying Service was an airport for Houston's black community. It offered special flights and flying lessons. Azellia White was not an official owner, but she was very popular there. Flying students often asked her to take them for rides. She sometimes played fun pranks on them in the air, surprising them with stunts!
Back then, traveling by car or bus could be hard for African-Americans. They might face unfair treatment. So, Azellia would sometimes fly with her niece to go shopping in other towns. The Sky Ranch Flying Service eventually closed. New laws made it harder for people to use the G.I. Bill for flight training, which slowed down business.
Azellia's Amazing Legacy
Azellia White left a lasting impact. In April 2018, she was honored. She was inducted into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame. This special museum is located in the Lone Star Flight Museum in Houston.
In Houston, the Aviation Science Lab at Sterling High School was named after her. The principal, Justin Fuentes, said she was "a powerful reminder to our students that they can be anything they want to be." He added, "No one can stop them."
The Black Pilots of America also gave Azellia White a special award. It was called the Trailblazer Award. This award recognized her "pioneering spirit." It honored her for opening up the field of aviation for others.
Azellia White passed away on September 15, 2019. She was 106 years old.
