Recognizing the Accomplishments of Theresa M. Claiborne, the First African American Female Pilot in the United States Air Force

Floor Speech

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Ms. McCLELLAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize Lt. Colonel Theresa M. Claiborne, who was the first African American female pilot in the United States Air Force. Aside from her many accomplishments, Clairborne is flying her last commercial flight this month.

Captain Claiborne was born on May 25, 1959, to Wayne Morris, Sr. and Dorothy Claiborne in Emporia, Virginia. She attended California State University, Sacramento, where she earned a degree in Communication, Culture, and Media in 1981. Claiborne completed the University of California-Berkeley Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corp (ROTC) program and was commissioned as a United States Air Force second lieutenant on June 20, 1981.

Following the completion of pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas, Lt. Claiborne graduated as the first African American female pilot in the United States Air Force on September 16, 1982. During Claiborne's active-duty years, she rose in rank to Captain and served as a KC 135 pilot at Loring Air Force Base, Maine. Captain Claiborne credits the Tuskegee Airmen as dutiful servicemen who paved the way for her and the Black women and men to follow.

After 9 years of dedicated service, Captain Claiborne retired from active-duty service and Joined the United States Air Force Reserves as a flight commander and an instructor pilot, becoming a Lieutenant Colonel in November 2001.

Concurrently, after leaving active-duty service, Captain Claiborne Joined United Airlines as a flight engineer, working her way up to the rank of captain She remained one of only 15 Black female pilots at United Airlines until 2019.

On January 6, 2003, Lt. Colonel Claiborne retired from the U.S. Air Force Reserves but maintained her position as Captain with United Airlines, accumulating over 15,000 civilian flying hours.

However, Lt. Colonel Claiborne's service did not stop there. In 2016, she co-founded the Sister of the Skies with pilots Christine Angel Hughes and Nia Wordlaw, with the mission of supporting and building a diverse aviation workforce by offering workshops, mentorships, and scholarships.

We owe a debt of gratitude to Lt. Colonel Claiborne for her more than 20 years of service to our armed forces and for paving the way for a new generation of Black female pilots.

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