She spent most of her life encouraging black people to fly. When Americans became obsessed with flying in the 1920s, black people faced discrimination. Yet Janet Bragg always dreamed of flying. She had to work hard to prove herself. Despite many setbacks, she remained determined to pursue her dream of flight. This is the story of how she challenged racism head-on.
Janet Bragg was born on March 24th 1907 in Griffin, Georgia. After graduating from an Episcopal school, she attended Spelman Seminary in Atlanta. Here, she received a registered nursing degree in 1929.
After working as a nurse, Janet enrolled at the Aeronautical University. Here, she learned the fundamentals of meteorology, aeronautics, and airplane maintenance.
Yet the school did not have an airplane and there was no flight training available. It was obvious that life was hard for anyone wanting to become a pilot.
But Janet decided to change all this.
Let’s Fly!
Janet had always wanted to learn to fly. So she enrolled at Aeronautical University in Chicago in 1933. She was the only woman in her class. Some people refused to assist her because she was a woman in what they thought to be a man’s ‘domain’.
Janet earned the respect of her peers by purchasing a plane for students to learn to fly. She decided that it was cheaper to buy a plane than to rent one, so she bought her first plane for $600.
The next challenge was deciding which airport to use for training.
Black pilots were not permitted to fly from airfields used by white pilots. So Janet figured that if black pilots were to fly, she would have to establish her own airfield. Finding somewhere like this was impossible. Black pilots were not permitted to fly from airports used by white people.
Janet founded the Challenger Aero Club, supported by her Aeronautical University lecturers. Together, they purchased land and built an airport in Robbins, Illinois.
Janet passed her private pilot’s licence test in the spring of 1934, after logging 35 solo hours.
She maintained her passion for aviation by writing a weekly column, ‘Negro Aviation’. And she continued to drum up interest in flying within Chicago’s black community.
During World War II, she applied for positions with the Women’s Auxiliary Service Pilots (WASPS). The interviewer rejected her, citing her race. Janet’s appeal was unsuccessful. But that didn’t stop her.
She then applied to the military nurse corps. But they told her that they had already met their quota for black nurses. Undeterred, she attended the CPTP School to get her commercial pilot licence.
After finishing her written work, she took and passed her flight test. But a bigoted instructor refused to award her licence. Even this didn’t stop her. She headed to Chicago where she passed the exam. In doing so, she became the first black woman to receive a commercial pilot’s licence.
She continued to work as a health inspector, intending to launch her own business. She and her brother purchased a property for a healthcare facility for welfare patients. The venture expanded into a nursing home, housing sixty patients.
She married Sumner Bragg late in 1951, and he assisted her in running the business. Janet befriended several Ethiopian students studying in America. She travelled to Ethiopia to meet Emperor Haile Selassie in 1955. They ran several nursing facilities until 1972. Later in the 1970s, she travelled throughout Africa.
She moved to Arizona in 1986, following the loss of her husband. She was a pilot for almost 35 years, with a Commercial Pilot Licence and over 2,000 flying hours.
She died in Blue Island, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, on April 11th, 1993. She was 86.
She once said:
“I’m not afraid of tomorrow because I’ve seen yesterday, and today is beautiful.”
How the Amazing First Black Aviator Flew
She was the first black woman to earn her commercial pilot’s licence.
She spent the majority of her life encouraging people to pursue careers in aviation. She led black pilot organisations in the 1930s, creating opportunities for others.
She was among the first black aviators. But she suffered difficulties her entire life. Not only because she was black but also because she was a woman. She faced discrimination as she pursued her dream to become a pilot, but overcame it all.
She had an exceptional life, one filled with tenacity and ground-breaking achievements. She was an aviation pioneer.
Janet Bragg pushed through obstacles and reached new heights. Her legacy of bravery and determination continues to inspire people to fly.
“If Jack can do it, Jill can do it.”
- One of Janet’s father’s phrases.
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Post Sources
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Soaring-Above-Setbacks-Autobiography-Smithsonian/dp/1560984589, https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/snapshot/janet-harmon-bragg-aviator, https://www.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/111721/first-african-american-woman-to-earn-commercial-pilots-license-challenged-racis/, https://medium.com/@FederalAviationAdministration/the-flying-nurse-d2836700ca1b, https://ingriffin.com/blog/janet-harmon-bragg/, https://pioneersofflight.si.edu/content/janet-bragg-0, https://twitter.com/airandspace/status/1758626620414291999, https://pimaair.org/hall-of-fame/janet-harmon-bragg/, https://www.publishersweekly.com/9781560984580, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janet_Bragg, http://avstop.com/history/blackwomenpilot/janetbragg.htm, https://www.aamsaz.org/janet-harmon-bragg/, https://www.facebook.com/AviationCommunityFoundation/posts/janet-bragg-was-not-just-the-first-black-woman-to-earn-a-commercial-pilot-she-al/1303114833394805/, https://cafriseabove.org/janet-harmon-waterford-bragg/
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