Captain Theresa Claiborne was the first female African-American pilot in the United States Air Force. Claiborne joined ROTC during her time at California State University, Sacramento, which sparked her interest in becoming a pilot. Her first time being commissioned to fly in the USAF came in 1981, which cemented her name in history as the very first Black woman to do so. By the time Captain Claiborne retired from the military in 2003, she had logged over 3,000 military flight hours. Following her career with the USAF, she flew for United Airlines for 34 years before retiring on May 29, 2024.
Africana Studies at Penn
Captain Theresa Claiborne was the first female African-American pilot in the United States Air Force. Claiborne joined ROTC during her time at California State University, Sacramento, which sparked her interest in becoming a pilot. Her first time being commissioned to fly in the USAF came in 1981, which cemented her name in history as the very first Black woman to do so. By the time Captain Claiborne retired from the military in 2003, she had logged over 3,000 military flight hours. Following her career with the USAF, she flew for United Airlines for 34 years before retiring on May 29, 2024.
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1 year ago | [YT] | 2