Black commercial airline pilots will meet beginning Aug. 12 in Chicago to celebrate the organization’s 50th anniversary
Frederick H. Lowe
The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals (OBAP) is holding its 50th anniversary at McCormick Place in Chicago.
The organization represents Black commercial airline pilots in addition to encouraging young Black people to consider the airline industry as a vocation, such as aircraft mechanics.
Before he was murdered by George Zimmerman in 2019, Trayvon Martin said he wanted to fly or repair airplanes.
In mid-2009, Martin enrolled in “Experience Aviation”, a seven-week program in Opa-locka, Florida, run by award-winning aviator Barrington Irving, the first Black person to pilot a plane around the world solo. This occurred in 2007.
About 4 percent of the nation’s commercial airline pilots are Black, up from 1 percent several years ago.
The conference will welcome more than 3,000 aviation and aerospace professionals, students, industry leaders, recruiters, educators, and aspiring aviators beginning August 12–14.
The 2026 OBAP Annual Conference is a landmark event celebrating the organization’s 50th Anniversary.
The conference is titled “Black. Bold. Boundless. The Legacy Lives On.” This year’s conference marks a historic milestone for OBAP as it reflects on five decades of expanding access, creating opportunity, and advancing representation throughout aviation and aerospace.
“Reaching 50 years is a testament to the vision of our founders, the dedication of our members, and the commitment of our industry partners,” said Vanessa Blacknall-Jamison, Executive Director of OBAP. “This conference is both a celebration of our legacy and a call to action for the next generation of leaders who will shape the future of aerospace.”
Over three days, attendees will participate in career development sessions, leadership conversations, networking events, professional development workshops, recruiting opportunities, youth programming, and celebrations honoring the organization’s extraordinary history and impact.
OBAP was established in 1976 by Ben Thomas, a young African American pilot with Eastern Airlines, who sought to create a permanent organization to address discrimination in the airline industry and support minority aviation professionals.
The founding meeting took place at the O’Hare Hilton Hotel in Chicago on September 17–18, 1976, where Thomas invited 37 African American pilots, representing nearly half of the industry at the time, to collaborate on forming the organization obap.org.
Originally called the Organization of Black Airline Pilots, OBAP focused on preparing youth and young adults for successful careers in aviation obap.org
Since its founding, OBAP has grown into a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing minorities in aviation and aerospace through scholarships, mentoring, training, and youth-focused education programs obap.org
The organization continues to advocate for diversity in the industry, partnering with groups like the Tuskegee Airmen and Black Wings in Aviation to expand opportunities for underrepresented communities.