David E. Harris, a former Air Force bomber pilot who became the first Black pilot hired by a major commercial airline in the United States during the civil rights movement of the 1960s, passed away on March 8 in Marietta, Ga., at the age of 89.
His daughter Leslie Germaine confirmed his death at a hospice center.
In 1964, American Airlines hired Mr. Harris, where he flew for 30 years and eventually became a captain in 1967. He made history again in 1984 by flying with the first all-Black cockpit crew on a commercial airliner.
Before his hire, many airline executives discriminated against Black pilots, fearing that white passengers may not want to fly on planes they piloted and finding accommodations for them would be challenging.
Mr. Harris faced numerous rejections in his job applications due to his race, despite being highly qualified. He left no doubt about his identity in his application letters by explicitly stating, “I’m married, I have two children, and I’m a Negro.”
Despite facing discrimination, Mr. Harris persisted, fueled by the legal victories of other Black pilots like Marlon D. Green, who fought against racial discrimination in the airline industry.
After receiving a telegram from American Airlines for an interview in Dallas in 1964, Mr. Harris expressed his concerns about potential discrimination during his meeting with the chief pilot.
The chief pilot reassured him by saying, “We don’t care if you’re Black, white, or chartreuse. We only want to know this: Can you fly the plane the right way?”
Born on Dec. 22, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio, Mr. Harris had a successful career as a pilot, including his significant role in transporting civil rights leaders like Whitney M. Young Jr. He is survived by his daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Mr. Harris considered the flight transporting Whitney M. Young Jr.’s body among the most important of his career, highlighting his dedication to his profession and the civil rights movement.
Reflecting on his career, Mr. Harris expressed gratitude for the opportunities he had and the barriers he broke. His legacy as a pioneering Black pilot in the commercial airline industry lives on.