Brittany Hardaway WBBJ
West Tennessee’s Oldest Living African American Pilot Honored
April 7, 2018
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  • HUMBOLDT, Tenn —  The Memphis Blackhawks hosted a ‘Eugene May Fly-In’ Saturday morning at the Gibson county airport in Humbolt.

    The celebration was to honor African American pilot Eugene May. May’s determination and pursuit of his dreams had him leave his home state of Tennessee to find someone willing and able to teach him how to fly.  May soon landed in Chicago and learned how to fly from the legendary Cornelious Coffey and Willa Brown.

    May is the oldest living African American pilot in west Tennessee at 95-years-old.

    “Just like everything else, if you want something you have to go and search for it,” Pilot, Eugene May said. “You will find there’s always someone that will give you their hand,”

    May was also nominated for the Wright Brothers ‘Master Pilot’ award, which is an award given to someone who has piloted aircraft as a ‘Master Pilot’ for at least fifty years.

    http://www.wbbjtv.com/2018/04/07/west-tennessees-oldest-living-african-american-pilot-honored/