“They built an airport in Robbins” a proud voice once declared. That statement resonates even today at the site of the Robbins Airport Plaque. This isn’t just a plaque it’s a monument to a dream a testament to resilience against insurmountable odds.
The Robbins Airport Plaque marks the location of the nation’s first Black-owned airport. Established in 1931 by the Challenger Air Pilots Association it represented a beacon of hope and opportunity in a time of deep-seated racial prejudice. Cornelius Coffey and John Robinson two visionary auto mechanics were at the heart of this ambitious project. Facing discrimination they were initially denied entry to Curtiss-Wright Aeronautical University. Undeterred Robinson cleverly worked as a janitor using his position to secretly learn from the classes.
Their determination led them to construct their own plane from a kit using a motorcycle engine for a cost-effective solution. This ingenious creation proved their skills prompting the university to offer them admission. Their success inspired the residents of Robbins an all-Black town. They rallied around Coffey and Robinson providing food shelter and labor to clear the land for the airport. It became a symbol of community pride a testament to collaborative spirit.
This small airport was more than just a flight strip. It was a training ground for aspiring Black pilots. It was a place where dreams took flight quite literally. Janet Harmon Bragg a business owner and early investor would later become the first African-American woman to obtain a commercial pilot license. Pioneering pilot Willa Brown also played a key role securing government grants.
Tragedy struck three years later. A fierce windstorm destroyed the airport’s hangar and both planes. The setback didn’t dampen their spirit. Coffey and Robinson were approached by the Schumacher brothers who owned an airport in Oak Lawn. The Schumacher brothers persuaded Coffey and Robinson to join their operation leading to the integration of white and Black flight students.
Despite initial racial tensions at the Oak Lawn airport Coffey championed integrated training. Eventually his vision prevailed. The flight school trained hundreds of pilots many of whom became Tuskegee Airmen fighting in World War II. This site this plaque reminds us of a dream realized of courage against prejudice and of a legacy that continues to soar. The Robbins Airport may have been short lived but its impact on aviation and civil rights is truly unforgettable.