The Man Called Brown Condor: The Forgotten History of an African American Fighter Pilot

“Riveting, with a style and pace that take the reader on the journey with John Robinson—the African American man called the brown condor” (New York Journal of Books).
 
In this gripping, never-before-told tale, biographer Thomas E. Simmons brings to life the true story of John C. Robinson, who rose from fraught and humble beginnings as a black child in segregated Mississippi to outstanding success. He became a pilot and an expert in building and assembling his own working aircraft; he also helped to establish a school of aviation at the Tuskegee Institute (there would have been no Tuskegee Airmen without him); and his courageous wartime service in Ethiopia during the Italian invasion in 1935 won him international fame.
 
Featuring thirty-five black-and-white photographs and based on twenty-three years’ worth of original research, when very little information on this remarkable American hero was available, The Man Called Brown Condor is more than just a biography of an unfairly forgotten African American pilot; this book provides insight on racial conditions in the first half of the twentieth century and on the rise of fascism in the years preceding World War II.
 
“[Robinson’s] lifelong triumph over adversity belongs to the greatest of American success stories.” —The Washington Times
 
“Simmons brings to life Robinson’s inspiring struggle against racism through the story of how he rose to become the commander of Haile Selassie’s air force in Ethiopia’s attempt to defend itself against Mussolini’s brutal invasion . . . An inspiring affirmation that celebrates the old adage that where there’s a will, there’s a way, even against seemingly impossible odds.” —Kirkus Reviews