{"product_id":"american-wings-chicagos-pioneering-black-aviators-and-the-race-for-equality-in-the-sky-9780593323991","title":"American Wings: Chicago's Pioneering Black Aviators and the Race for Equality in the Sky","description":"\u003cb\u003eFrom the acclaimed author of \u003ci\u003eFlygirl \u003c\/i\u003eand the bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eCode Name Verity\u003c\/i\u003e comes the thrilling and inspiring true story of the desegregation of the skies.\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003e\"This beautiful and brilliant history of not only what it means to be Black and dream of flying but to, against every odd, do so, completely blew me away.\" --Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award Winner for \u003ci\u003eBrown Girl Dreaming\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eIn the years between World War I and World War II, aviation fever was everywhere, including among Black Americans. But what hope did a Black person have of learning to fly in a country constricted by prejudice and Jim Crow laws, where Black aviators like Bessie Coleman had to move to France to earn their wings? \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eAmerican Wings\u003c\/i\u003e follows a group of determined Black Americans: Cornelius Coffey and Johnny Robinson, skilled auto mechanics; Janet Harmon Bragg, a nurse; and Willa Brown, a teacher and social worker. Together, they created a flying club and built their own airfield south of Chicago. As the U.S. hurtled toward World War II, they established a school to train new pilots, teaching both Black and white students together and proving, in a time when the U.S. military was still segregated, that successful integration was possible. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eFeaturing rare historical photographs, \u003ci\u003eAmerican Wings\u003c\/i\u003e brings to light a hidden history of pioneering Black men and women who, with grit and resilience, battled powerful odds for an equal share of the sky.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSherri L. Smith\u003c\/b\u003e is not a pilot, but she makes an excellent passenger (unless it's a very small plane). She is the author of numerous acclaimed fiction and nonfiction books for young people, including \u003ci\u003eFlygirl\u003c\/i\u003e, the winner of the California Book Awards' Gold Medal; \u003ci\u003eThe Blossom and the Firefly\u003c\/i\u003e, the winner of the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators; \u003ci\u003eOrleans\u003c\/i\u003e; and \u003ci\u003eWho Were the Tuskegee Airmen? \u003c\/i\u003eShe teaches creative writing at Hamline University. Born in Chicago, Sherri now lives in Los Angeles. Learn more at SherriLSmith.com and follow her on Twitter @Sherri_L_Smith. \u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cb\u003eElizabeth Wein\u003c\/b\u003e is a recreational pilot and the owner of about a thousand maps. She is the author of several young adult novels, including \u003ci\u003eCode Name Verity\u003c\/i\u003e, an Edgar Award winner and a #1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestseller; \u003ci\u003eBlack Dove, White Raven\u003c\/i\u003e, winner of the Children's Africana Book Award; and most recently, \u003ci\u003eStateless\u003c\/i\u003e. Her book \u003ci\u003eA Thousand Sisters: The Heroic Airwomen of the Soviet Union in World War II\u003c\/i\u003e was a finalist for YALSA's Excellence in Nonfiction for Young Adults Award. A dual American-British citizen, Elizabeth lives in Scotland. Learn more at ElizabethWein.com and follow her on Twitter @EWein2412.\u003cbr\u003e","brand":"Penguin Young Readers Group","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":51184802267410,"sku":"9780593323991","price":9.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_6aed26c0-e3c5-42c6-8380-a3d3829d8647.jpg?v=1744575807","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/american-wings-chicagos-pioneering-black-aviators-and-the-race-for-equality-in-the-sky-9780593323991","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}