Click here for media gallery of the exhibit.
In honor of Black History Month, the Louisville Regional Airport Authority has announced that Bowman Field will be hosting an exhibit from February 1-28 called “The Sky’s the Limit: A Celebration of the History of Black Achievement in Aviation,” which showcases specific members of the Black aviation community and their achievements. Through the use of visuals, visitors will get a look into how these men and women got their start in aviation, any adversity they experienced, and how they ultimately achieved greatness and rose to prominence.
“The Louisville Regional Airport Authority is excited to open this exhibit celebrating Black History Month. It showcases the extraordinary achievements of these Black men and women from the early days of aviation through the age of space travel, including efforts today to introduce our young people to the opportunities in aviation. We hope the stories of these pioneers and leaders inspire a new generation of aviation professionals,” said Dan Mann, Executive Director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority.
“Our community has just experienced difficult reminders about social justice and equity, so this year’s Black History Month is particularly important,” said Capt. Houston Mills, UPS Airlines Vice President of Flight Operations and Safety. “It’s fantastic that the LRAA is showcasing these inspirational aviation heroes and the great things that happen when opportunities are available for people of all races,” continued Mills, who is also a former board chair of the Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals.
“As a member of the LRAA board, I cannot think of a more fitting exhibit than ‘Sky’s the Limit’ at Bowman Field. Louisville Tourism has started the work of rebuilding our tourism economy, and we salute our industry partner in showcasing important Black history and achievement in aviation,” said Cleo Battle, Chief Operating Officer of Louisville Tourism and member of the LRAA board.
The exhibit will spotlight 14 individuals and organizations including:
From February 1-28, the free exhibit will be open to the public without appointment Mondays through Fridays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturdays and Sundays from
10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Bowman Field in the historic Art-Deco terminal building located at 2815 Taylorsville Road, Louisville, KY 40205.
Organizations wishing to bring a group should contact Danni Kiefner at (502) 363-8546 or danni.kiefner@flylouisville.com to schedule a time to visit the exhibit. The exhibit will be operating under the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the state of Kentucky’s social distancing and mask guidelines.
For more information about the exhibit, contact Natalie Chaudoin at natalie.chaudoin@flylouisville.com or Darrell Watson at darrell.watson@flylouisville.com or click here.
About the Louisville Regional Airport Authority
The Louisville Regional Airport Authority owns and operates the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) and Bowman Field (LOU). Aviation is an economic powerhouse for the region, generating $10.4 billion in economic impact every year. One in 8 jobs is generated by the airports and their aviation partners. Six commercial airlines offer nonstop service to over 30 nonstop destinations from SDF. SDF is home to UPS Worldport, moving millions of tons of product annually, making SDF the 2nd busiest cargo airport in North America. Established in 1919, Bowman Field is one of the longest continuously operating, general aviation airports in the U.S. Bowman Field is home to over 280 based aircraft and has over 88,000 annual aircraft operations.
