l’hirondelle noire

Celebrated in his adoptive home of France but not so well known in his native America, flying ace, boxer and jazz musician Eugene Bullard (*1895 - †1961) grew up in Columbus, Georgia and gaining an appreciation for the effects of systemic racism decided to stowaway on a ship to Aberdeen and eventually made it to Paris, via Glasgow and London, becoming one of the first in a cadre of Black combat pilots to serve in World War I. Also fluent in German, Bullard became involved in espionage and military intelligence, monitoring the Germans who patronised his nightclub in the run-up to World War II. Eventual repatriation was a culture-shock, still experiencing the same prejudice and inequality from thirty-three years prior, taking a series of odd jobs in Manhattan, one of which was elevator operator at Rockefeller Center. One anchor noticed his impressive array of medals he wore on his attendant uniform (see also) and intrigued interviewed the “Black Swallow” on the Today Show.