American Wings

November 1, 2023
An account of how brilliant and resourceful early-20th-century Black aviators created their own runway to the skies. Originally trained as auto mechanics, Cornelius Robinson Coffey and John Charles Robinson shared a common dream of becoming pilots despite facing racism. "We're going to make it regardless," Coffey prophetically declared after they were both reluctantly admitted--under threat of a lawsuit--into Chicago's Curtiss-Wright School of Aviation. They successfully finished their program, persuading the school's initially hostile director to register a cohort of Black students whom they could teach as assistant instructors. Coffey and Robinson then sought interested men and women through advertisements in the Chicago Defender, whose publisher sponsored pioneering Black pilot Bessie Coleman. They organized the Brown Eagle Aero Club, and Robinson even accepted an invitation from Haile Selassie to help train Ethiopian pilots as the country prepared to defend itself against fascist Italy. Smith and Wein tightly thread together overlapping narrative threads, including the early evolution of aviation, the history of Tuskegee University, the role of the African American press, and tense geopolitical matters concerning the only African country to have escaped European colonization. Photographs scattered throughout are an additional treat, adding a special layer to the storytelling. The writing is accessible and buoyant, creating anticipation for what is to come, all culminating in an engaging slice of history. A fascinating, well-told American story full of compelling innovation. (authors' note, source notes, resources, index) (Nonfiction. 12-18)

COPYRIGHT(2023) Kirkus Reviews, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 1, 2023
Grades 8-12 Readers intrigued by the history of Black aviation in the U.S. during the first half of the twentieth century will find a wealth of information in this book, which features several pivotal figures during the period, particularly those in the Chicago area, where Black men and women worked as mechanics, students learning to fly, and classroom or airborne flight instructors. Some became forward-thinking leaders in their field. Each of the authors has an interest in aviation history and has written nonfiction books as well as historical novels set during the period, including Smith's Flygirl (2008) and Wein's Code Name Verity (2012). Their extensive research is evident throughout the book, which is illustrated with photos and full of details that contribute to the portrayal of these individuals as their stories emerge. The notable aviators include Cornelius Coffey, Willa Brown, Johnny Robinson, and Janet Harmon Bragg. Based on well-documented research and credited in the extensive, appended source notes, the book offers a enlightening account of notable Black American aviators and the issues that they confronted during their careers.

COPYRIGHT(2023) Booklist, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

December 18, 2023
Smith (The Blossom and the Firefly) and Wein (Stateless) chronicle the history of Black pilots in this essential and richly informative work. Opening with the story of Cornelius Robinson Coffey (1903–1994), a Black teen who was determined to fly despite a white pilot’s attempts to scare him, the authors detail how white people believed that Black people were incapable of flying because they were seen as unintelligent, lazy, and gutless. The creators assert that Coffey, among others, were likely motivated by Bessie Coleman (1892–1926), the first Black female pilot, whom straightforward text notes as having “opened the skies up to her people.” Black Americans soon flocked to aviation, upending white society’s unfounded beliefs. Despite massive progress, however, Black women pilots such as Janet Harmon Bragg (1907–1993), the first woman to attend the Curtiss-Wright School of Aviation, still found it difficult to pursue their dreams. Inspirational singular stories feature famous names and institutions such as the Tuskegee Airmen, b&w archival photographs imbue the historical narrative with contemporary-feeling familiarity, and nail-biting tales of flights gone wrong add verve, making for an exciting and richly rendered addition to the history of Black aviation. An epilogue contextualizes Black pilots’ impact on society, including pop culture media such as Star Trek. Ages 12–up.

January 1, 2024
Smith (The Blossom and the Firefly, rev. 3/20) and Wein (Stateless, rev. 3/23) introduce readers to the Black men and women who fought to desegregate aviation. The book opens in 1919 with fifteen-year-old Cornelius Coffey attempting to take his first plane ride at an air show in Nebraska. The pilot reluctantly takes the young Black man up and tries to discourage him with daredevil antics -- but Coffey loves it and knows he wants to fly. Fast forward: Coffey meets Johnny Robinson, a Black mechanic who also longs to be a pilot. The two move to Chicago and apply to the Curtiss-Wright School of Aviation. They are accepted -- but then not allowed to enroll after the school finds out they are Black. Following much struggle, Coffey and Robinson are admitted in 1929 and complete their course. With two other young Black aspiring pilots, Janet Harmon Bragg and Willa Brown, they open an aviation school for Black students. Along with the experiences of each individual pilot, there is also a thorough discussion of the historical context surrounding them, including the Great Depression and WWII. Photographs of Coffey, Robinson, Harmon Bragg, and Brown appear throughout the text. An authors' note explains the research process, and source notes are provided for this thorough and absorbingly written history of the early days of aviation. Nicholl Denice Montgomery

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)

Starred review from February 1, 2024

Gr 7 Up-By following the lives of skilled auto mechanics Cornelius Coffey and Johnny Robinson, nurse Janet Harmon Bragg, and teacher and social worker Willa Brown, the authors have created a wonderfully detailed and evocative review of the true story of four Black Americans between the world wars who pioneered aviation in spite of many obstacles placed in their paths. Inspired by the achievements and legacy of Bessie Coleman that were celebrated in a 1928 Memorial Day tribute, Coffey and Robinson began a collaboration that grew to include Bragg and Brown. Their journeys culminated in avionics school and airport ownership, partnership with the Tuskegee Institute, and international acclaim. This title showcases how determination and ingenuity triumphed over segregation in Chicago during the nascent period of the aviation industry. The extensive investigation of primary and secondary documents, including contemporary newspapers and photographs, has allowed Smith and Wein, both authors of YA novels about young people becoming pilots, to give a vivid and accurate recounting of the struggles and triumphs of the desegregation of Chicago aviation. The lengthy end notes, bibliography, and substantial authors' note underscore the level of research completed. VERDICT Fans of the authors' previous books will appreciate this nonfiction title, as will fans of aviation history. Recommended for all collections.-Susan Catlett

Copyright 2024 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

January 1, 2024
Smith (The Blossom and the Firefly, rev. 3/20) and Wein (Stateless, rev. 3/23) introduce readers to the Black men and women who fought to desegregate aviation. The book opens in 1919 with fifteen-year-old Cornelius Coffey attempting to take his first plane ride at an air show in Nebraska. The pilot reluctantly takes the young Black man up and tries to discourage him with daredevil antics -- but Coffey loves it and knows he wants to fly. Fast forward: Coffey meets Johnny Robinson, a Black mechanic who also longs to be a pilot. The two move to Chicago and apply to the Curtiss-Wright School of Aviation. They are accepted -- but then not allowed to enroll after the school finds out they are Black. Following much struggle, Coffey and Robinson are admitted in 1929 and complete their course. With two other young Black aspiring pilots, Janet Harmon Bragg and Willa Brown, they open an aviation school for Black students. Along with the experiences of each individual pilot, there is also a thorough discussion of the historical context surrounding them, including the Great Depression and WWII. Photographs of Coffey, Robinson, Harmon Bragg, and Brown appear throughout the text. An authors' note explains the research process, and source notes are provided for this thorough and absorbingly written history of the early days of aviation.

(Copyright 2024 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)