Even among legends and pioneers, 92-year-old James H. Harvey III stood out Saturday night at an event honoring African-American pilots and astronauts.
Besides being one the — a group of African-American military pilots that flew in World War II — Harvey also was among America’s first “Top Gun” pilots and the first black jet fighter pilot to fly missions in the Korean War.
“He was the one that really paved the way for all of these other men,” said Harvey’s daughter, Kathy.
Harvey, who still stands ramrod straight, said he wished there would be more gatherings like Saturday’s Shades of Blue Inc. 2015 Annual Gala showcasing African-American flight.
“We should get together more,” Harvey said. “Although I know, it’s almost impossible to get this group of people in the same room at the same time.”
The event was billed as one of the biggest reunions of American astronauts and the first time so many African-American astronauts have been in the same place at the same time.
In all, 13 African-American astronauts were scheduled to be on hand at the Wings Over The Rockies Air & Space Museum including , the first African-American in space. He was a member of the crew of the orbiter Challenger in 1983.
The night’s guest speaker, Col. Fred Gregory, was America’s first African-American shuttle commander.
United Airlines pilot Willie Daniels worked hard to bring the astronauts together. Daniels wanted to spotlight their accomplishments as well as provide inspiration for a new generation of scientists and explorers.
“There are not a lot of real heroes out there for our kids to look up to,” said Daniels, who has been a pilot for 37 years. “But these folks here have risked their life and limb for the betterment of mankind.”
Daniels is also founder and CEO of the nonprofit Inc., the sponsor of Saturday’s event. The group aims to put 250,000 students into science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers.
Daniels also hopes to inspire young people to fill the ranks of commercial pilots in the United States, where as many as 70,000 are expected to retire over the next few years.
“There are not enough people out there right now to replace them,” Daniels said.
Actress Nichelle Nichols — although not an astronaut — filled an especially key role in getting African-Americans interested in science and space, Daniels said.
Nichols was scheduled to receive an award in honor of , who trained to be become the country’s first African-American astronaut in the early 1960s.
Dwight quit, however, amid allegations of racism at NASA. He is now a celebrated Denver sculptor.
Millions saw Nichols in the 1960s as a pioneer because no one like her had ever been on television before.
“She was considering quitting ‘Star Trek’ when King Jr. met her and told her she couldn’t quit, that she meant so much to so many people she had to keep doing what she was doing,” Daniels said.
“She became an enormous recruitment tool for the space program,” he said.
