Columbia Air Center opened in 1941. This was an airfield in Croom, Maryland, that was set up by African American pilots who were not permitted to use other airports. With an all-Black staff and several trainers who had served in World War II as Tuskegee Airmen, the airfield was open between 1941-1958.
References:
- Columbia Air Center. The Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission.
- Zieminski, Andy. 2008. “County’s first Black-owned airport becomes training ground.” Gazette.net: Maryland Community Newspapers Online.
- Davis, Clayton. 1941.“Columbia Air Center, Croom, Maryland.” Washington Afro-American Newspaper.
Video:
- “Columbia Air Center – A Short History,” Columbia Air Center, YouTube video, 12:17, September 25, 2013.