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Profile: Philip Hart
Flight History
Philip Hart听(Soc鈥66) remembers discovering photos of his great uncle James Herman Banning in family albums of his mother鈥檚 basement. He was wearing flight goggles and posing in front of big planes. Banning was America鈥檚 first black aviator to fly coast-to-coast.
鈥淎s I grew older I searched in the libraries of my junior high and high school to learn more about James Herman Banning,鈥 Philip says. 鈥淚 found information about such pilots as Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart, but nothing on my great uncle.鈥
It wasn鈥檛 until 1982 that Banning and other pioneering pilots were recognized when the Smithsonian Institution鈥檚 National Air and Space Museum opened the exhibit 鈥淏lack Wings.鈥
To fill a gaping hole in the history of black aviation, Philip spent 25 years and nearly $2 million to uncover new information and restore old and damaged film footage from others鈥 family collections.
Philip, an educator, author and filmmaker, has written several books, including the Scholastic book听Flying Free: America鈥檚 First Black Aviators, and produced the 1987 PBS documentary听Flyers in Search of a Dream, still available on PBS Home Video.
鈥淚 am not a trained historian but an active one starting since I was in high school,鈥 Philip says. 鈥淚 am an expert on black pilots prior to World War II and am an advisor to the Smithsonian Institution.鈥
To further his knowledge, Philip continues his research daily. He finished an online photo essay titled The Invisible Eagles: Meet Ten of America鈥檚 First Black Pilots published by Oxford University Press and is working on a script for Disney to showcase Banning鈥檚 flight as a motion picture.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a never ending story,鈥 Philip says. 鈥淚 know there is more footage and history out there that eventually I will uncover to bring another part of the story to life.鈥
Banning died in a plane crash in 1933. Philip never knew him personally but through his research and work believes he has a strong sense of who his uncle was.
Philip never anticipated his childhood curiosity would lead to his career.
鈥淚鈥檝e spent a lot of time and money, but the work is satisfying,鈥 Philip says. 鈥淚f a 15-year-old boy attends the library he can learn about the black pilots along with Charles Lindbergh and Amelia Earhart. That鈥檚 satisfying to me.鈥
In addition, his brother Chris Hart is a pilot and the two have flown together all over the country for the past 40 years.
鈥淔rom my uncle to my brother, my family is probably the longest running of the black aviators,鈥 Philip says.