Ruth Carol Taylor

Who is Ruth Carol Taylor?

Ruth Carol Taylor was the first African-American flight attendant in the United States.

Born in Boston, into a family of black, white, and Cherokee heritage, Taylor attended Elmira College and graduated as a registered nurse from the Bellevue School of Nursing in New York City.

Hired in December 1957, on February 11, 1958, Taylor was the flight attendant on a Mohawk Airlines flight from Ithaca to New York, the first time such a position had been held by an African American. She was let go within six months as a result of Mohawk's then-common marriage ban.

Taylor was later significantly involved in covering the 1963 March on Washington and as an activist for consumer affairs and women's rights.

In 2008, fifty years after her historic flight, her accomplishments were formally recognized by the New York State Assembly.