Eleanor Roosevelt and “Chief” Charles Alfred Anderson
3/1941
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Eleanor Roosevelt publicly supported civil rights while in the White House. Transforming the role of First Lady, she was an involved and active participant in her husband’s administration. She was the first First Lady to hold a press conference, and she understood how important the role of the media was in advancing causes she cared for.
During her 1941 visit to the Tuskegee Army Air Field, she requested a plane ride with the Chief Civilian Flight Instructor Charles Alfred Anderson—and insisted it be photographed. Anderson was African American, and at that time of a segregated military, many Americans believed that African Americans were not capable of flying airplanes. She knew the press coverage would be valuable publicity in support of the Tuskegee Airmen and their piloting skills.
During her 1941 visit to the Tuskegee Army Air Field, she requested a plane ride with the Chief Civilian Flight Instructor Charles Alfred Anderson—and insisted it be photographed. Anderson was African American, and at that time of a segregated military, many Americans believed that African Americans were not capable of flying airplanes. She knew the press coverage would be valuable publicity in support of the Tuskegee Airmen and their piloting skills.
This primary source comes from the Records of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Full Citation: Photograph 237-G-142-27; Eleanor Roosevelt and 'Chief' Charles Alfred Anderson; 3/1941; General Photograph File, 1986 - 1995; Records of the Federal Aviation Administration, Record Group 237; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. [Online Version, https://docsteach.org/documents/document/eleanor-roosevelt-charles-alfred-anderson, April 1, 2023]Rights: Public Domain, Free of Known Copyright Restrictions. Learn more on our privacy and legal page.
