Two names float in history as the first Black pilots: Ahmet Ali Celikten and Eugene Jacques Bullard. From two continents but with the same dream, their separate journeys share a thread of resilience, ambition, and skill.
An Ottoman officer, Celikten was born in Turkey. To fly, he enrolled at Bristol Flying School in the U.K. At the same time, Bullard, an American-born son of formerly enslaved people, was enrolled there. Although their paths crossed at the academy, they never viewed themselves as rivals.
Bullard, who fought in World War I, is considered the first Black American fighter pilot. However, because the U.S. military barred Black people from combat roles, Bullard fought with the French Foreign Legion. His first flight was two years after Celikten’s.
Celikten was Turkey’s first Black military aviator – not the same as a combat pilot. Their roles were different, though their achievements were a shared dream of flight come to fruition.
Both men defied societal norms, but their shared mission was about daring to dream. Just remember our history is rich enough to hold all our stories. We can all fly high especially when we’re on the same flight.