![Eugene Bullard: World's First Black Fighter Pilot by [Greenly, Larry]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51ji84l3QuL._SY346_.jpg)
THE BOOK: Eugene Bullard: World’s First Black Fighter Pilot
PUBLISHED IN: 2013
THE AUTHOR: Larry Greenly
THE EDITOR: Randall Williams
THE PUBLISHER: New South Books
SUMMARY: Pioneering black aviator Eugene Bullard, descended from slaves, became the world’s first black fighter pilot, though he was barred from serving the United States because of the color of his skin.
Growing up in Georgia, Bullard faced discrimination and the threat of lynching. He ran away from home at twelve and eventually made his way to France, where he joined the French Foreign Legion and later the Lafayette Flying Corps. He saw fierce combat during World War I and was wounded multiple times. He returned to the United States with a chest full of medals, but once again faced discrimination. Bullard was all but ignored in the United States, even as, at age sixty-four in 1959, he was made a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor.
Eugene Bullard’s is a remarkable story of accomplishment despite racial prejudice. Author Larry Greenly’s biography includes numerous historical photographs of Bullard throughout his travels.
THE BACK STORY: Ten or eleven years ago, I was actively searching for someone to write a biography about. I happened to watch Flyboys (2006) a WWI movie about the Lafayette Escadrille. After investigating and discarding the person who was played by the movie’s main character, I noticed a minor black character who in real life was Eugene Bullard.
The movie was historically inaccurate in many ways, including conflating the Lafayette Escadrille and The Lafayette Flying Corps. But after finding a rare copy of Bullard’s memoirs, I immediately knew that I had to write his biography. I was compelled to re-introduce him to today’s world, which mostly didn’t know anything about him.
WHY THIS TITLE?: Because it says it all.
WHY SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO READ IT: It’s the story of the most amazing guy you never heard of.
REVIEW COMMENTS:
From Amazon:
“I have read many WW1 aviation books (I own over 200 myself) and this book made me shake my head in wonder. Eugene Bullard was an incredible man, in so many ways, his courage, compassion, selflessness and humble nature were beyond compare with almost any hero I have ever heard of. I had read some stuff about him, mostly short stories but this book showed me what he was really like and the scope of his “even Hollywood could not dream this up” life. Highly recommended.”.– Mark Racine.
“Imagining a place where race and color didn’t matter, Bullard ran away in search of France. Along the way he learned to box, and to box well. Finally he arrived in France where some Americans were fighting alongside the French before the U.S. joined in World War I. Through perseverance and hard work, Bullard was able to become a fighter pilot, and was the first black person to do so.”
“Greenly skillfully pulls the reader into Bullard’s life and creates empathy with the bright, determined young man. He peppers his story with details about the planes, France, and the people Bullard meets as well as photographs. It is a book that has stayed with me, giving me things to think about even after I’d read the last page.”
“Teachers will want to have this book for their classes and librarians for their libraries, especially for Black History Month in February.” It is a gem. – P. Durant
AUTHOR PROFILE: Armed with degrees in physics/math, architecture, civil engineering and chiropractic, Larry Greenly has led a multi-faceted life as a teacher, engineer and doctor of chiropractic. His career as a freelance writer/editor of myriad non-fiction articles began over 30 years ago with a long-running medical column in professional journals. Along the way, Greenly garnered a number of writing awards, including the Parris Award and a National Federation of Press Women 2nd place national award for his literary page in a local magazine.
His book, Eugene Bullard: World’s First Black Fighter Pilot, was named a 2015 Booklist Top Ten Multicultural Nonfiction Book for Youth; was a finalist in the SCBWI Southwest Region Crystal Kite Award; won a Gold Medal in the 2014 National Moonbeam Children’s Book Awards, won Best Young Adult Book in the 2014 NM/AZ Book Awards, won a Silver Medal in the 2015 Military Writers Society of America (MWSA) Awards; earned a starred review from the American Library Association (ALA) and earned a recommendation from Voices of Youth Advocates (VOYA). Greenly lives in New Mexico.
AUTHOR COMMENTS: I extensively researched Eugene Bullard’s life and wrote a YA narrative nonfiction biography that was as historically accurate as I could make it, The level of language I used was high enough that adults also enjoy reading it.
Since my book was published (now in its third printing), there seems to be more and more awareness of what Bullard, an ignored but highly decorated hero, accomplished throughout his life. I hope I played some part in his long overdue recognition.
SAMPLE CHAPTER:
WHWRE TO BUY IT: amazon.com
PRICE: $15.95 trade paper
CONTACT THE AUTHOR: drdoom999@juno.com
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