By Jackie Hampton,
Publisher,
In partnership with Hudson by Avolta, the Jackson Municipal Airport Authority hosted aviation trailblazer Captain Beth Powell for a Q&A and book signing of her book, “Queen of the Skies.” The book is an inspiring story of Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman and first Native American to hold a pilot’s license. The story is based on the impact and legacy she left and for daring to soar beyond society’s limits.
The event was held Thursday, February 19, 2026, at the Jackson – Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport in the Medgar Evers Pavillion from 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
CEO Rosa Beckett introduced Captain Powell. Beckett told the listening audience that Powell is a powerful advocate for the next generation of aviators and a role model to young girls who may never have envisioned the possibility of reaching such heights in the field of aviation, where Powell currently serves as a captain for the world’s largest airline. Beckett said, “her testament is the story to dreams, perseverance, and breaking every expectation along the way.”
A conversation led by Ken McBride of Hudson by Avolta was very captivating to the audience of listeners as Powell shared her journey from Jamaica at the age of fifteen to becoming an airline captain. McBride started the conversation off by asking Powell who not only is a captain but also an author and a film maker, what were the defining moments for her that shaped the leader she is today? Powell told the story of how one of her teachers noticed her infatuation with numbers at an early age and told her she could become anything she wanted to be. She went home and told her parents and from there her journey began.
After a powerful conversation with McBride, there was a Q&A that involved the media and the audience. Book purchasers stood in line for their autographed copies. In addition to selling out of books, the event was held on a day of historical significance marking the activation of the Tuskegee Airmen’s first all-Black fighter squadron in 1942. This event, held during Black History month was a powerful reminder that aviation continues to be a vehicle for progress, representation, and dreams realized.
Be the first to comment