CellyBlue -- Eugene Bullard -- WWI Pilot; Survivor of Verdun

A heroic pioneer and the First African-American Pilot

ALL: Please read the heroic, inspiration post today of CellyBlue — I do know this!

The Black Swallow of France: A Hero America Refused

Here is a small sample of CellyBlue’s writing of this hero of Verdun and pioneer pilot in WWI:

Eugene Bullard, the world’s first Black combat pilot, fought for a country that wasn't his and was ignored by the one that was. His legacy isn't just forgotten history; it's a mirror held up to what we choose to remember, and why.

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Bullard was born in 1895 in Columbus, Georgia, a place steeped in the brutal legacy of Jim Crow laws.

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When Europe ignited in 1914, Bullard enlisted in the French Foreign Legion, not out of glory, but out of conviction. In the mud-caked trenches of Champagne and the blood-soaked ground at Verdun, he became something more than a survivor. Bullard fought in one of the war’s most grueling battles—the Battle of Verdun. Even after suffering a serious head injury, he refused to leave the front lines. His courage and determination were undeniable.

He became The Black Swallow—a man unafraid to fly into the storm while others sought shelter.

In 1917, Bullard made history. He was accepted into the Lafayette Escadrille, a French Air Force unit composed largely of American volunteers. There, he became the first African-American combat pilot, flying between 25 and 27 missions.

My scant quotes cannot do justice to the fluid, beautiful pen of CellyBlue — I do know this.

Please read CellyBlue’s post, today, about the heroic Eugene Bullard.

This post is so beautiful and inspirational.

CellyBlue’s strength is that she knows the best heritage in America and her pen has the poetic-prose to describe it with inspiration.

Her Substack Mast reads: CellyBlue — I do know this!

Yes, she does!