National Air and Space Museum Archives

Ida Van Smith Flight Clubs, Inc. Journal and Negro Airmen International, Inc. Membership Cards

Summary

Collection ID:
NASM.2017.0007
Dates:
1974-1978
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
0.05 Cubic feet
1 folder
Repository:
Ida Van Smith (1917--2003) was an African American pilot and educator. The Negro Airmen International, Inc. (NAI) is the oldest African American civilian aviation organization in the country. This collection consists of a 1974 edition of the Ida Van Smith Flight Clubs, Inc. Journal, signed by Smith, and two Negro Airmen International Inc. membership cards for Teddie N. Hayes, 1976 and 1978.

Scope and Contents

Scope and Contents
This collection consists of a 1974 edition of the Ida Van Smith Flight Clubs, Inc. Journal, signed by Smith, and two Negro Airmen International Inc. membership cards for Teddie N. Hayes, 1976 and 1978.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged by type of material.

Biographical / Historical

Biographical / Historical
In 1967, Ida Van Smith (1917--2003) founded a series of flight training clubs for minority children to encourage their involvement in aviation and aerospace sciences. Born in North Carolina, Smith graduated from Shaw University and earned a master's degree from Queens College. She became a teacher in the New York City Public Schools in the fields of history and special education. In 1967, at the age of 50, she finally fulfilled a personal dream to learn to fly. Once she had her private pilot's license and instructor rating, Smith founded the Ida Van Smith Flight Club on Long Island, New York. Training for the students was provided in an aircraft simulator funded by the FAA and an operational Cessna 172. Soon there were more than 20 clubs throughout the country, with members ages 13-19. As a result, thousands of children were exposed to aviation and many pursued careers in aviation. Smith also produced and hosted a cable television show on aviation and taught an introductory aviation course at York College of the City University of New York. Although she retired from teaching in 1977, Smith remained active in her namesake clubs. She was a member of the Tuskegee Airman's Black Wings, Negro Airmen International, and the Ninety-Nines. She published or was featured in many educational, aviation, and historical journals. Smith received numerous awards for her contributions to aviation and youth education.
Biographical / Historical
The Negro Airmen International, Inc. (NAI) was founded in February, 1967 by aviator Edward Gibbs. NAI is the oldest African American civilian aviation organization in the country and encourages African Americans to enter the field of aviation by providing aviation learning opportunities and creating job opportunities.

Administration

Author
Patricia Williams and Jessamyn Lloyd
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Samantha Stockley, Gift, 2016, NASM.2017.0007.
Processing Information
Arranged and described by Patricia Williams, 2016. Updated and encoded by Jessamyn Lloyd, 2022.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Use
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access.
Preferred Citation
Ida Van Smith Flight Clubs, Inc. Journal and Negro Airmen International, Inc. Membership Cards, NASM.2017.0007, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
African American air pilots Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Aeronautics Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Membership cards Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Publications Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Van Smith, Ida Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Negro Airmen International, Inc. Corporate Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

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