After World War II, Brown would make good on his childhood dreams, becoming the first African-American Navy pilot. Born on October 13, 1926, in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Brown grew up dead poor as a sharecropper’s son. Support Pan-African Journalism SubscribeBrown rejected the suggestion that he attend traditionally black university and enrolled at Ohio State University which then was predominantly white. Brown attended pre-flight school in Ottumwa, Iowa, and moved to Pensacola and Jacksonville, Florida after that to attend flight school. According to Navy Times, Brown flew a Vought F4U-4 Corsair, providing air support for allied ground troops.

Source: The North Africa Journal February 26, 2020 19:52 UTC