David E. Harris

David Ellsworth Harris (December 22, 1934 – March 8, 2024) was an American commercial airline pilot. Harris was the first African-American commercial pilot and the first to achieve the rank of captain for a major American commercial airline.

Early life and education Harris was born on December 22, 1934, in Columbus, Ohio. His father was Wilbur Rothchild Harris Sr. (June 4, 1900 – July 31, 1989) and his mother was Ruth A. Estis Harris (March 19, 1903 – September 22, 1961).

Harris grew up in an integrated neighborhood in Columbus, where he attended University School, a private high school.

In 1957, Harris graduated from Ohio State University, with a B.S. degree in education. While a university student there, he was rejected twice for Ohio State's advanced Air Force ROTC program on racial grounds. Following the completion of nine-week training, Harris became an American Airlines co-pilot.

Memberships Harris served as the president of the Organization of Black Airline Pilots (OBAP), and also retained his membership with the Negro Airmen International (NAI).

Honors The Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum features Harris and his uniform, hat and other memorabilia in its "Black Wings in Aviation" exhibit. The American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum in Fort Worth, Texas features Harris in its permanent exhibit. During a ceremony honoring Harris as the first African-American commercial airline pilot, Harris remarked: "I'm honored and humbled by this award ... but the reality is that there were 500 pilots Tuskegee Airmen who were qualified for airline jobs when they left the service. None of them received an opportunity to sit in a cockpit. There is no way I should be the first; it should've happened long before 1964."