(Radio Iowa) – The city of Ames is hosting a dedication ceremony Saturday for the renaming of its airport. Spokesperson, Susan Gwiasda says the airport is being named in honor of African-American flight pioneer James Herman Banning. “James Herman Banning was a resident of Ames from 1919 to about 1928. He ended up becoming the first pilot to receive his pilot’s license from the U-S Department of Commerce,” she says.

Gwiasda says it was not an easy route for Banning. “He was denied flight instruction, several different places he tried to receive flight instruction in central Iowa,”Gwiasda says, “but eventually found a flight teacher and went on to become the first African American pilot to fly across the United States.”  Banning attended Iowa State University for one year and named a plane he flew “Miss Ames.” One of Banning’s relatives will be at the event Saturday. ” One of the things we’re really excited about is during this dedication ceremony, which is 10 a-m on Saturday, June 17th, Christopher Hart will be speaking. Christopher Hart is the great nephew of James Herman Banning,” she says.

Hart served as the 13th chairman of the National Transportation Safety Board. He has a private consulting company and degrees from Princeton University in aeronautics aeronautical engineering, and he has a law degree from Harvard. He will be talking about his great uncle’s legacy. “After the Banning dedication ceremony is over, there will be a reception in the airport terminal. And then we’re inviting everybody to come to Bandshell Park for the Juneteenth Celebration,” she says. “That will be happening from noon to 4:30, a free event with live music, food trucks, arts, crafts, games, face painting, and more. Learn more about James Herman Banning, and you can learn more about the history of our community at this event.”

James Banning. (photo from City of Ames)

Banning died at the age of 34 in 1933 as a passenger in a plane that crashed. Banning flew as a passenger in the plane after being denied entry into the event as a pilot because he was black.