Making History

OBAP History & Hall of Fame

Each year, at the OBAP Annual Conference, we induct honorable aerospace professionals into the OBAP Hall of Fame. Established in 2008, the traveling exhibition serves as a testament to the impact these individuals continue to have on the aerospace industry, the African American community, and our entire country.

These notable individuals are honored for their unwavering commitment to their careers, and contribution to the industry at-large. This is our history.

Celebrating the Life and Legacy of OBAP Founder Member, Ben Thomas

In 1976 Ben Thomas, then a young African American pilot with Eastern Airlines spearheaded an effort to form a permanent body to address discrimination in the airline industry. He invited thirty-seven African American pilots, representing nearly 50% of the industry total at the time, to join him. Together, they formed The Organization of Black Airline Pilots which would later become The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP). Thomas's legacy is carried forward by his family and dear friends, as well as the hundreds of Black aviators and aerospace professionals who followed in his footsteps.

We celebrate the life of Mr. Thomas, and take up the mantle to carry his legacy forward into the future.

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame

2008 Inductees

Alexander Lambert
August Martin
Barry Taylor
Benjamin F. Thomas
Bennie Clay
Bessie Coleman
Charles E. Black
Charles A. Davis
Charles S. Mack
David E. Harris
Don E. Barton
Edward Moon
Frank B. Jones
Frederick O. Boone

George W. Nixon
Harold C. Heard Jr.
Herman O. Samuels
Howard L. Baugh
Jack Noel
James A. Brannen
James L. Davis Sr.
James Edwards
James H. Green
James E. Lee III
Jill Brown
Jim E. Betts

John Gordon
Joseph B. Moore
Louis Freeman
Marlon Green
Oscar Perry
Patricia Edmiston Banks
Perry Young
Pickney Mosely Jr.
Ray and Patrice Washington
R. Ricardo Youngblood
Richard E. Roundtree
Robert Ashby

Robert E. Smith
Ruth Carol Taylor
Sidney L. Clark Jr.
Simon P. Gaskill
Solomon Cates
Stanley M. Brown
The Tuskegee Airmen
Vernice Armour
William R. Norwood
William Brown
William C. Rand
Willis N. Brown Jr.

2009 Inductees

Louise Greenwood Phipps
Pat Edmidston Banks
Barbara Stewart
Diane Hunter
Earnie Growe

2010 Inductees

Captain Carroll Waters
Al Joseph
James Perkins
Captain Chuck Rich
Captain Lou Freeman
Captain Mike Swanigan

2011 Inductees

Lieutenant Colonel Edgar V. Lewis (ret.)
Captain Robert Brown (ret.)
Captain Aaron J. Gould (ret.)
Captain Larry Parker
Dr. Daniel E. Coons Ph.D.

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2012-2013 Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame

Bob Ashby
Robert Ashby
Lieutenant Colonel/Captain
2012 Inductee
Edward Horne
Edward L. Horne, Jr.
Captain
2012 Inductee
Cecil Ewell
Cecil Ewell
2012 Inductee
Les Morris
Les Morris
Captain
2012 Inductee
elanor williams
Eleanor Williams
2012 Inductee
donnie cochran
Donnie Cochran
Captain
2013 Inductee
Julius alexander3
Julius J. Alexander, Jr.
2013 Inductee
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Calvin Janes
Captain
2013 Inductee

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2014 Hall of Fame Honorees

The 2014 Hall of Fame Honorees have made notable contributions and achievements during their lengthy careers in aviation; but not without many struggles and sacrifices. Their legacies have become an integral part of history. It is because of their determination, perseverance and ambition that we are recognizing them as honorees in this years’ Hall of Fame. They are pioneers, trailblazers in their own right in the broad field of the aerospace industry, because of their courage and desire to pursue their occupation of
choice without being deterred.

These “honorees” forged on with tenacity when there were barriers and stood with fortitude when obstacles were placed in their paths. They have woven their achievements into the fabric of aerospace history, leaving behind a legacy for generations of African American aviators to come.

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals
Present the 2014 Hall of Fame Honorees:
Captain James Betts
Captain Anthony L. Copeland-Parker
Captain James L. Edwards
Captain Roscoe S. Edwards
Captain James Green
Captain Marlon Green
Captain David Harris
Brigadier General Leon A. Johnson (Ret.)
Captain Clovis Jones, Jr.
Captain Marvin Perry Jones
Mamie W. Mallory
Captain Bill Norwood
Captain Carroll M. Waters

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2014 Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame

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William R. Norwood
Captain
2014 Inductee
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James Betts
Captain
2014 Inductee
roscoe edwards
James L. Edwards
Captain
2014 Inductee
Carrol waters
Carroll M. Waters
Captain
2014 Inductee
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Marlon Green
Captain
2014 Inductee
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James Green
Captain
2014 Inductee
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David Harris
Captain
2014 Inductee
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Marvin Perry Jones
Captain
2014 Inductee
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Leon A. Johnson
Brigadier General (Ret.)
2014 Inductee
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Clovis Jones, Jr.
Captain
2014 Inductee
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Mamie W. Mallory

2014 Inductee
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Anthony L. Copeland-Parker
Captain
2014 Inductee
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Roscoe S. Edwards
Captain
2014 Inductee

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2015 Hall of Fame Honorees

The 2015 Hall of Fame Honorees have collectively contributed more than 111 years of service to the United States Armed Forces dating back to 1942. Many went on to lead successful and influential civilian lives in commercial
aviation and as community volunteers.

Facing opposition in multiple wars, gender equality and race relations; these notable individuals are being honored for their unwavering commitment to their careers, notwithstanding trials and many triumphs.

Deserved military awards including two Purple Hearts and a Congressional Gold Medal, record-making firsts in aviation, biographical books and a Hollywood motion picture inspired by the lives of some of these distinguished inductees serve as testaments to the impact these individuals continue to have on the African American community and our entire country.

Undoubtedly they have forged ahead in trying times and turbulent winds. Their courage and determination in the eye of adversity prove why they are more than deserving of a place amongst comrades and fellow way makers (or history makers).

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals
Present the 2015 Hall of Fame Honorees:
Captain Sidney L. Clark, Jr.
Captain Bennie J. Clay Jr.
Sheila L. Chamberlain
Lieutenant General Russell C. Davis
Major General Stayce D. Harris
Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Jefferson
Lieutenant Colonel Tony Marshall

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2015 Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame

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Bennie J. Clay Jr.
Captain
2015 Inductee
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Sidney L. Clark, Jr.
Captain
2015 Inductee
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Sheila L. Chamberlain
2015 Inductee
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Russell C. Davis
Lieutenant General
2015 Inductee
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Alexander Jefferson
Lieutenant Colonel
2015 Inductee
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Stayce D. Harris
Lieutenant General
2015 Inductee
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Tony Marshall
Lieutenant Colonel
2015 Inductee

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2016 Hall of Fame Honorees

The 2016 Hall of Fame Honorees are all founding members or early contributors to the formation of the Organization of Black Airline
Pilots, Inc., the organization from which the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, Inc. evolved.

Through adversity, these men created the mission, vision and foundation for the programs, educational opportunities and professional development its members experience today.

Their roots are broad and deep—an immigrant who left his home country to pursue the American dream, four military combat pilots who served their country during the Vietnam war, including the first black Naval Aviator to fly 100 combat missions, but they all share a common thread, their passion and love of flying.

The Organization is what it is today because of the contributions of these men. We salute them and we are proud to present the 2016 Hall of Fame Honorees.

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals
Present the 2016 Hall of Fame Honorees:
Captain Raymond Dothard
Captain Simon Patrick Gaskill
Captain Oscar Perry
Captain William C. Rand
Captain J. Georges Sulmers
Captain Benjamin F. Thomas

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2016 Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame

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Simon Patrick Gaskill
Captain
2016 Inductee
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Raymond Dothard
Captain
2016 Inductee
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Oscar Perry
Captain
2016 Inductee
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William C. Rand
Captain
2016 Inductee
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Benjamin F. Thomas
Captain
2016 Inductee
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J. Georges Sulmers
Captain
2016 Inductee

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2017 Hall of Fame Honorees

The Leading Edge of Legacy: Being First to Accept the Challenge, our theme for the 2017 Pioneer Awards. Each of our recipients is being
celebrated for having the courage, the resilience and the tenacity to be first against all odds.

Among our group of honorees, we celebrate the first African-American civil servant female to receive a Ph.D. in Engineering at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, America’s first African-American astronaut candidate, the first African-American air traffic specialist and the first African-American female pilot in the United States Air Force. These accomplishments merely skim the surface of their esteemed careers.

We are also honored to induct our 2011 Pioneer Award recipients who include one of the first African-American B52 pilots, one of the first
African-American UPS pilots, the Founder of the Airways Science Program at Delaware State University, a historically black college, the first African- American pilot hired by Altair Airlines and the B747-400 Captain who flew the first revenue flight for UPS.

Each of these history-making individuals have placed their indelible mark on the aviation industry and we are honored to celebrate each of them.

We salute them and we are proud to present the 2017 Hall of Fame honorees.
Dr. Aprille Joy Ericsson
Edward Joseph Dwight, Jr.
Captain Theresa M. Claiborne
Lieutenant Colonel Luke J. Weathers, Jr.
Captain Robert Brown
Captain Lawrence Anthony Parker, Jr.
Daniel E. Coons, Ph.D.
Lieutenant Colonel Edgar V. Lewis
Captain Aaron J. Gould

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2017 Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame

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Edward Joseph Dwight, Jr.
2017 Inductee
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Dr. Aprille Joy Ericsson
2017 Inductee
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Theresa M. Claiborne
Captain
2017 Inductee
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Luke J. Weathers, Jr.
Lieutenant Colonel
2017 Inductee
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Lawrence Anthony Parker, Jr.
Captain
2017 Inductee
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Robert Brown
Captain
2017 Inductee
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Daniel E. Coons, Ph.D.
2017 Inductee
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Edgar V. Lewis
Lieutenant Colonel
2017 Inductee
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Aaron J. Gould
Captain
2017 Inductee

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2018 Hall of Fame Honorees

A Star Among Us is our theme for the 2018 Pioneer Awards and what a stellar cast of recipients they are. Our honorees are trailblazers and history-makers whose knowledge, strength and determination have placed them among the best in class. These shining stars have truly changed the aerospace industry forever.

Among us—the first African American in space, the first African American Colonel in the Delaware National Guard in its 350 plus year history, the first African American woman in Texas to earn a pilot’s license and one of the first black employees at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, which was later incorporated into NASA. These are a few of the brilliant individuals who have earned their place in history. We are proud to celebrate their accomplishments and to present them as the 2018 Hall of Fame Honorees.

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals
Present the 2018 Hall of Fame Honorees:
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr., Ph.D.
Brigadier General Ernest G. Talbert (ret.)
Captain Albert T. Glenn
Azellia White
Dorothy Johnson Vaughan
Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson
Mary W. Jackson
Christine Mann Darden, Ph.D.

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2018 Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame

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Guion Stewart Bluford Jr., Ph.D.
2018 Inductee
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Albert T. Glenn
Captain
2018 Inductee
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Ernest G. Talbert
Brigadier General (ret.)
2018 Inductee
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Azellia White
2018 Inductee
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Dorothy Johnson Vaughan
2018 Inductee
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Mary W. Jackson
2018 Inductee
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Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson
2018 Inductee
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Christine Mann Darden, Ph.D.
2018 Inductee

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2019 Hall of Fame Honorees

Pillars of Empowerment is our theme for the 2019 Pioneer Awards, a testament to this year’s honorees. Each of the honorees stand boldly as pillars who have demonstrated strength and dedication to the paths they’ve chosen and the countless lives they continue to impact. With courage and determination, our honorees have gone where none have before them, breaking barriers and raising the bar. They are the wayshowers, change makers, rewriting the script and changing the narrative.

We are proud to celebrate their accomplishments,
and to present to you our 2019 Hall of Fame recipients:
Major General John H. Bailey (ret.)
Icema Gibbs
John and Martha King
Colonel Charles Edward McGee (ret.)
Lieutenant Colonel Marcella Ng (ret.)
Lieutenant Commander Brenda E. Robinson (ret.)

Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals

2019 Founders and Pioneers Hall of Fame

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John H. Bailey
Major General (ret.)
2019 Inductee
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Icema Gibbs
2019 Inductee
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John and Martha King
2019 Inductee
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Marcella Ng
Lieutenant Colonel (ret.)
2019 Inductee
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Charles Edward McGee
Colonel (ret.)
2019 Inductee
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Brenda E. Robinson
Lieutenant Commander (ret.)
2019 Inductee