36 Facts About Eugene Bullard

Eugene Bullard was born in Columbus, Georgia, the seventh of 10 children born to William Eugene Bullard, a Black man from Stewart County, Georgia, and Josephine Thomas, a Black woman said to be of African-American and Indigenous heritage.

Eugene Bullard's paternal ancestors had been enslaved in Georgia and Virginia according to US census records, and his father was born on a property owned by Wiley Bullard, a slave-owning planter in Stewart County.

Eugene Bullard attended the 28th Street School in Columbus from 1901 to 1906, completing the fifth grade.

When he reached his 11th birthday, Eugene Bullard ran away from home with the intention of getting to France.

Disheartened that the Stanleys were not scheduled to return to the United Kingdom, Eugene Bullard found work with the Turner family in Dawson, Georgia.

Eugene Bullard arrived at Aberdeen, Scotland, and made his way first to Glasgow and then to London, where he boxed and performed slapstick in Belle Davis's "Freedman Pickaninnies", an African-American troupe.

Eugene Bullard participated in the fighting on the Somme, Champagne, and Verdun, where he was severely wounded on March 5,1916.

Eugene Bullard opted to serve in the 170th Infantry Regiment, and the 170 military insignia is displayed on his uniform collar.

Eugene Bullard was accepted and underwent training at the Aerial Gunnery School in Cazaux, Gironde.

Eugene Bullard took part in more than twenty combat missions, and he is sometimes credited with shooting down one or two German aircraft.

Eugene Bullard went through the medical examination, but he was not accepted, as only white pilots were chosen.

Some time later, while on a short break from duty in Paris, Eugene Bullard allegedly got into an argument with a French commissioned officer and was punished by being transferred to the service battalion of the French 170th Infantry Regiment in January 1918.

Eugene Bullard served beyond the Armistice, not being discharged until October 24,1919.

Eugene Bullard found work for four years as a jazz drummer in a nightclub named "Zelli's", which was owned by Joe Zelli.

Eugene Bullard worked with Robert Henri, a lawyer and friend, to secure a club license, which allowed Zelli's to stay open past midnight.

Eugene Bullard hired musicians for private parties with Paris' social elites, worked as a masseur, and an exercise trainer.

Eugene Bullard later managed a nightclub "Le Grand Duc", where he hired the American poet Langston Hughes.

Around 1928, Eugene Bullard was able to buy "Le Grand Duc" from Ada "Bricktop" Smith.

Eugene Bullard eventually became the owner of another nightclub, "L'Escadrille".

Eugene Bullard opened Eugene Bullard's Athletic Club which was a gymnasium offering physical culture, boxing, massage, ping pong and hydrotherapy.

Eugene Bullard worked as a trainer for noted boxers Panama Al Brown and Young Perez.

When World War II began in September 1939, Eugene Bullard, who spoke German, agreed to a request from the French government to spy on the German citizens who still frequented his nightclub.

Eugene Bullard was wounded, but he escaped to neutral Spain, and in July 1940 he returned to the United States.

Eugene Bullard spent some time in a New York hospital and never fully recovered from his wound.

Eugene Bullard worked as a perfume salesman, a security guard, and as an interpreter for Louis Armstrong, but a back injury severely restricted him.

Eugene Bullard received a financial settlement from the French government and was able to buy an apartment in Harlem, New York City.

Eugene Bullard was knocked to the ground and beaten by an angry mob, which included members of the state and local law enforcement.

Graphic pictures of Eugene Bullard being beaten by two policemen, a state trooper, and a concert goer were published in Susan Robeson's biography of her grandfather, The Whole World in His Hands: a Pictorial Biography of Paul Robeson.

Eugene Bullard's daughters had married, and he lived alone in his apartment, which was decorated with pictures of his famous friends and a framed case containing his 14 French war medals.

Eugene Bullard died in New York City of stomach cancer on October 12,1961, at the age of 66.

Eugene Bullard was buried with military honors in the French War Veterans' section of Flushing Cemetery in the New York City borough of Queens.

Eugene Bullard received 14 decorations and medals from the government of France.

Eugene Bullard was awarded the Medaille militaire, another high military distinction.

In 2022, Eugene Bullard was inducted with the class of 2020 into The National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton, Ohio.

Eugene Bullard is the subject of the nonfiction young adult memoir Eugene Bullard: World's First Black Fighter Pilot by Larry Greenly.

In 2023, Now Let Me Fly, a biographical graphical novel of Eugene Bullard's life, was published by First Second publishing house.