Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals to speak in HISD classrooms

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals will visit more than 20 Houston-area inner-city schools from Tuesday, Oct. 23 through Friday, Oct. 26.

The Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals will spread the message that the sky is the limit to Houston-area students during the sixth annual Pilots and Professionals in School program.

These pilots and other business professionals will visit more than 20 Houston-area inner-city schools from Tuesday, Oct. 23 through Friday, Oct. 26, according to an Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals news release.

The membership of the OBAP includes all aerospace professionals, air traffic controllers and astronauts who hope to motivate students to stay in school and explore careers in aerospace industry, according to the release.

The speakers will highlight careers of minority aerospace professionals, including the first African-American commercial airline pilot Marlon DeWitt Green. His struggle to gain employment in the business resulted in a 1963 decision by the U.S. Supreme Court to open the industry to African Americans.

The presentations will take place daily at 9 a.m., 11 a.m., noon and 2 p.m. For more details about the school visits or the organization, contact OBAP Chapter President Xavier Samuels at 850-207-9789 or xjes06@yahoo.com.