Azellia White was the first Black woman in Texas to receive her pilot’s license. Born in Gonzales, Texas in 1913, White went with her husband “Pappy” White to Alabama as he pursued a career as a mechanic with the Tuskegee Airmen.

While in Alabama, White began training and flying in a Taylorcraft airplane and earned her pilot’s license in 1946. White would often take trips around the South in pursuit of better shopping opportunities.

After World War ll, White and her husband returned to Texas. She would continue to fly and, along with her husband and two other Tuskegee Airmen, started the Sky Ranch Flying Service in South Houston. Sky Ranch served as an airport for the Black community and provided instruction to veterans interested in flying.

The company would close in 1948 but the endeavor made its mark on the community. White

The company closed its doors in 1948 but the pioneering aspect of Sky Ranch made its mark on the community. White at 105, continues to serve as an inspiration to aspiring pilot and the Aviation Science Lab at Houston’s Sterling High School is named in her honor.