Ahmet Ali (Arap Ahmet)
Encyclopedia
Ahmet Ali Çelikten also known as Arap Ahmet Ali or İzmirli Ahmet Ali (born Izmirli Ali oghlu Ahmed, 1883 – 1969) may have been the first black military pilot in aviation history and the only black pilot in World War I
along with Eugene Jacques Bullard. His grandmother came from Bornu
(now in Nigeria
) as a slave.
Ahmet born in 1883 in Smyrna (present day İzmir
) his mother Zenciye Emine Hanım and to his father Ali Bey. He aimed to become a naval sailor and entered the Naval Technical School named Haddehâne Mektebi (literally School of Blooming Mill) in 1904. In 1908, he graduated from school as a First Lieutenant
(Mülâzım-ı evvel). And then he went to aviation courses in the Naval Flight School (Deniz Tayyare Mektebi) that was formed on June 25, 1914 at Yeşilköy
.
During the World War I
, he married Hatice Hanım (1897–1991) who was an immigrant from Preveza
. He became first black military pilot in aviation history when he started serving in November, 1916. On December 18, 1917, Captain
(Yüzbaşı) Ahmed Ali was sended to Berlin
to complete aviation courses.
To quote David Nicolle's book, The Ottoman Army 1914-1918, "Most Ottoman aircrew were recruited from the Turkish heartland ...others came from the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire as far south as Yemen, or even from neutral Iran. Captain Ahmet was of Arab-African origin and may have been the first 'black' Air Force pilot in aviation history, having received his 'wings' in 1914-15." The book features a photo of Ahmet in front of a Bleriot XI
-2 trainer at the Yesilkoy flying school. We featured the same photo in "Over the Front", Volume 9, No. 3, Fall 1994. Ahmet's "wings" would seem to have been earned prior to Bullard's earning his brevet No. 6259 on 20 July 1917, though Bullard is often cited as history's first black aviator.
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
along with Eugene Jacques Bullard. His grandmother came from Bornu
Bornu Empire
The Bornu Empire was an African state of Nigeria from 1396 to 1893. It was a continuation of the great Kanem Empire founded centuries earlier by the Sayfawa Dynasty...
(now in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
) as a slave.
Ahmet born in 1883 in Smyrna (present day İzmir
Izmir
Izmir is a large metropolis in the western extremity of Anatolia. The metropolitan area in the entire Izmir Province had a population of 3.35 million as of 2010, making the city third most populous in Turkey...
) his mother Zenciye Emine Hanım and to his father Ali Bey. He aimed to become a naval sailor and entered the Naval Technical School named Haddehâne Mektebi (literally School of Blooming Mill) in 1904. In 1908, he graduated from school as a First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
(Mülâzım-ı evvel). And then he went to aviation courses in the Naval Flight School (Deniz Tayyare Mektebi) that was formed on June 25, 1914 at Yeşilköy
Yesilköy
Yeşilköy is a neighborhood of the Bakırköy municipality of Istanbul, Turkey.It is located along the Marmara Sea about 11 kilometers west of Istanbul's historic city center...
.
During the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he married Hatice Hanım (1897–1991) who was an immigrant from Preveza
Preveza
Preveza is a town in the region of Epirus, northwestern Greece, located at the mouth of the Ambracian Gulf. It is the capital of the regional unit of Preveza, which is part of the region of Epirus. An immersed tunnel, completed in 2002 which runs between Preveza and Actium, connects the town...
. He became first black military pilot in aviation history when he started serving in November, 1916. On December 18, 1917, Captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
(Yüzbaşı) Ahmed Ali was sended to Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
to complete aviation courses.
To quote David Nicolle's book, The Ottoman Army 1914-1918, "Most Ottoman aircrew were recruited from the Turkish heartland ...others came from the Arab provinces of the Ottoman Empire as far south as Yemen, or even from neutral Iran. Captain Ahmet was of Arab-African origin and may have been the first 'black' Air Force pilot in aviation history, having received his 'wings' in 1914-15." The book features a photo of Ahmet in front of a Bleriot XI
Blériot XI
The Blériot XI is the aircraft in which, on 25 July 1909, Louis Blériot made the first flight across the English Channel made in a heavier-than-air aircraft . This achievement is one of the most famous accomplishments of the early years of aviation, and not only won Blériot a lasting place in...
-2 trainer at the Yesilkoy flying school. We featured the same photo in "Over the Front", Volume 9, No. 3, Fall 1994. Ahmet's "wings" would seem to have been earned prior to Bullard's earning his brevet No. 6259 on 20 July 1917, though Bullard is often cited as history's first black aviator.
External links
- "Dünyanın ilk siyah pilotu: Arap Ahmet" (World's first black pilot), NTVMSNBC, March 7, 2011.
- Black people flying aircrafts
- "Dünyanın ilk siyah pilotu: Arap Ahmet", photo gallery in the website of SabahSabah (newspaper)Sabah is a popular Turkish daily newspaper, with a circulation of around 330,000 as of 2011. Its name means "morning" in the Turkish language originating from Arabic...
.