The Black Swallow of Death, an American of the French Air Force

Eugene Bullard, or as his friends knew him "Black Swallow of Death", was an American pilot who fought for France during the Great War in 1917.  Bullard was born in the United States, in Georgia, but ran away when he was young to escape racism.  He eventually went to Paris and settled in until the war came in 1914.  He then joined the French Foreign Legion and fought on the front lines.

Bullard was wounded in the major battle at Verdun, and when he recovered, he joined the French air force and got his pilot's license.

Bullard was the first Black man to be a combat pilot and was eventually awarded Le Croix de Guerre, France's highest medal and made a member of the Legion de Honeur, France's most prestigious award.  He was credited with shooting down one or two German planes.

Many Americans volunteered to help France during the Great War.  Even before the United States joined the war, many men went to France and joined the French army or joined the Lafayette Squadron, named after the French hero who came to the US to help George Washington during the American Revolution.

Bullard stayed in Paris after the war and owned a famous nightclub which became the hangout of many Americans in Paris, including Josephine Baker, Louis Armstrong and Langston Hughes.  He also was a translator for the famous Black boxer, Joe Louis.  Bullard spied on Germans at his nightclub for the French government during the early part of World War II.

Bullard came back to the US to escape the Nazis and settled down in Harlem in New York City.  He had given up almost everything for his adopted homeland and died penniless.  However, the US Air Force later recognized his important contribution to Black aviation and made him a Second Lieutenant, long after his death.

Before the Tuskeegee Airmen, Eugene Bullard paved the way for Black pilots and for Americans that loved France.