International Black Aviation Day Celebration

In celebration of International Black Aviation Day (IBAD), founder and award-winning author Casey Grant (author of Stars in the Sky and Stars and Beyond) will be hosting an event at the Bessie Coleman branch of the Chicago Public Library.

Casey will be joined by GiGi Coleman, the great-niece of aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman, as well as Tuskegee Airman Ken Rapier on Tuesday, February 10 from 11:00 AM to 3:00 PM in advance of the IBAD holiday.

February 16th marks the official International Black Aviation Day (IBAD), established in February 2022 to highlight the achievements of Black pioneers like Bessie Coleman, the first African-American woman to earn a pilot’s license, as well as Dr. Mae Jemison, Edwin Dwight, Guy Bluford, and Katherine Johnson—all of whom dared to dream beyond the skies. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military pilots in the U.S. armed forces, with Tuskegee women playing vital roles in supporting their training and operations during World War II.