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Janet Bragg

1907 – 1993

American aviator

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About Janet Bragg

Lived 1907 – 1993 (aged 86). Janet Bragg was an American aircraft pilot and nurse.

Janet Harmon Waterford Bragg (born Jane Nettie Harmon) In 1942, she was the first African-American woman to hold an unlimited commercial pilot license. She is a 2022 inductee to the Georgia Aviation Hall of Fame.

Life Janet Harmon was born on March 24, 1907, in Griffin, Georgia. Shortly after graduation she left Georgia for Illinois and was hired as a nurse by Wilson Hospital in Chicago. Sumner died in 1986 and Janet survived him until 1993. Her autobiography, Soaring Above Setbacks, was published posthumously in 1996.

Aviation In 1928, Bragg became the first black woman to enroll in the Curtiss Wright School of Aeronautics in Chicago. In 1933 Janet (then Waterford) enrolled at Curtiss Wright Aeronautical University, of her own money to buy the school's first airplane, and helped in building the school's own airfield in Robbins, Illinois. In the summer she learned flying and obtained her private pilot's license. she was denied a pilot's license in Alabama, for being a "colored girl", but managed to receive a license at Pal-Waukee Field, Illinois.

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Important facts

Birth century
Nationality
Education
Loyola University Chicago, Spelman College
Awards
Certificate of honour; Recognition
Also known as
Jane Nettie Harmon, Janet Harmon Waterford Bragg

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Janet Bragg's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Janet Bragg?

American aviator (1907-1993)

When was Janet Bragg born?

Janet Bragg was born on 24 March 1907 in Griffin.

When did Janet Bragg die?

Janet Bragg died on 11 April 1993 in Blue Island.

What was Janet Bragg's occupation?

Janet Bragg was an aircraft pilot and nurse.

What nationality was Janet Bragg?

Janet Bragg was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Janet Bragg

· Wikidata: Q13123132

· DBpedia: Janet Bragg

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Janet Bragg. https://biography.guide/janet-bragg/

MLA: "Janet Bragg." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/janet-bragg/.

Chicago: "Janet Bragg." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/janet-bragg/.

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