Patrice Washington
Born
Patrice Francise Clarke

(1961-09-11)11 September 1961
Nassau, The Bahamas
NationalityBahamian
Other namesPatrice Clarke Washington
Occupationpilot
Years active1982-present
Known forfirst black female pilot hired by UPS

Patrice Washington (born 1961) is a Bahamian airplane pilot, whose career was marked by a series of firsts. She was the first black woman graduate of Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, Florida; first woman pilot of Bahamasair; first black woman captain of a major U.S. air service and first black female pilot hired by the United Parcel Service.

Early life

Patrice Francise Clarke was born on 11 September 1961 in Nassau, The Bahamas[1] to Peggy Ann and Nathaniel Clarke.[2] From the age of five, when she took her first flight, Clarke was interested in aviation.[3] Raised by a single, divorced mother, along with her two sisters, Clarke learned responsibility at a young age.[4] During her high schooling in Nassau she participated in career week activities hoping to become a stewardess,[1][5] by the time she graduated, she had dreams of becoming a pilot. In 1979, intent on her goal, Clarke enrolled in the Embry–Riddle Aeronautical University of Daytona Beach, Florida, despite the fact that she was the only black student and spoke only Bahamian Creole.[4] In April 1982, Clarke graduated as the first black woman in the school's history with a BS in aeronautical science and her commercial pilot's certification.[1]

Career

Soon after her graduation, Clarke began working at a charter company, Trans Island Airways, in the Bahamas, as a pilot. She continued her studies and was able to earn her qualifications to fly Boeing 737 and Boeing 747-8 aircraft over the next few years. In 1984, Clarke became the first woman pilot of Bahamasair,[6] when she was hired as a First Officer by the air service. Though often facing discrimination Clark persevered[7] and in 1988, she was hired by United Parcel Service (UPS) as a flight engineer.[1] Her three-person crew flew routes from Louisville, Kentucky to Anchorage, Alaska, as well as to Australia and Cologne, Germany. In 1990, Washington was promoted to First Officer with UPS.[3]

In 1994, Clarke married Ray Washington, a pilot for American Airlines.[1][4] In December 1994, she was promoted to captain by UPS, becoming the first black female, and one of only eleven female captains, to command planes for a major U.S. airline.[8][9]

Legacy

In 1995, Washington and other female pilots founded the Bessie Coleman Foundation[9] with the purpose of preserving Coleman's legacy, promoting the aviation profession among African American men and women, and providing a network for mentoring women in the airline sector.[10] In 2000, Washington was presented with the Trumpet Award from Turner Broadcasting for her pioneering work in aviation on behalf of women.[8]

References

Citations

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 San Diego Air & Space Museum n.d.
  2. ↑ Moss 2012.
  3. 1 2 Smith, Bracks & Wynn 2015, p. 473.
  4. 1 2 3 Ebony 1995, p. 76.
  5. ↑ Ebony 1995, p. 74.
  6. ↑ Tribune 242 2012.
  7. ↑ Ebony 1995, p. 78.
  8. 1 2 Horton 2000, p. 14.
  9. 1 2 Ho 1995.
  10. ↑ Sulton III 2008, p. 4.

Bibliography

  • Ho, Rodney (12 February 1995). "Black Woman Pilot A Role Model". The Chicago Tribune. Chicago, Illinois. Archived from the original on 24 October 2015. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  • Horton, Phyllis R., ed. (February 2000). "M'Lis Ward: First Black Female Captain in Commercial Aviation". Ebony. Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company. 55 (4): 14. ISSN 0012-9011. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  • Moss, Shavaughn (8 June 2012). "Flying High". Nassau, The Bahamas: The Nassau Guardian. Archived from the original on 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  • Smith, Jessie Carney; Bracks, Lean'tin; Wynn, Linda T. (2015). The Complete Encyclopedia of African American History. Canton, Michigan: Visible Ink Press. ISBN 978-1-57859-583-9.
  • Sulton III, James E. (June 2008). African-American Women Pilots' Perceptions of Barriers to Success in Flight-Training and Strategies to Enhance Their Presence (PhD). Pepperdine University. Retrieved 23 December 2016 – via ProQuest LLC: Ann Arbor, Michigan.
  • "Soaring to New Heights". Ebony. Chicago, Illinois: Johnson Publishing Company. 50 (9): 74–78. July 1995. ISSN 0012-9011. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  • "Trio Of Female Captains Make History". Nassau, The Bahamas: Tribune 242. 23 May 2012. Archived from the original on 12 September 2012. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  • "Women at the Forefront". San Diego Air & Space Museum. San Diego, California. n.d. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.

This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.