The Black Sparrow

If one were to make a movie about the life of Eugene Jacques Bullard, it would run into two problems. First, it would appear implausible, likened to Little Big Man or Forrest Gump, except Bullard's is a true story and he drove the narrative instead of merely being there. Second, it would have to be a miniseries, because feature films aren't long enough.

Bullard was born in Georgia, but ran away from home and made his way to Scotland, where he became a professional boxer. After a bout in Paris, he stayed and made his home there. He joined the French Foreign Legion and became a highly decorated hero of World War I. Then Bullard learned to fly.

Already viewed as a hero, he was able to pull the necessary strings to enter flight school, and became the first Black American fighter pilot in history.
He flew a SPAD VII C1 with a distinctive alteration to its appearance. Painted on the outside of the fuselage was a red heart with a dagger through it. Above the heart was his personal slogan, one he would later use for the title of his unpublished memoir: Tout Le Sang Qui Coule Est Rouge; roughly, in English: “All Blood Runs Red.”
He flew with honor and distinction until his career in the air came to an abrupt halt. The Americans had entered the war and the involvement of a certain Dr. Gros, a US Army Major with racist attitudes, led to the end of the Black Sparrow’s career as a pilot.
 
But the French continued to celebrate him. He ended this part of his military career with the Military Medal, Croix de Guerre, Volunteer Combat Cross, Medal for Military Wounded (twice), World War I Medal, Victory Medal, Voluntary Enlistment Medal, Battle of Verdun Medal, Battle of Somme Medal, and the American Volunteer with the French Army Medal.
And that is when his life got interesting.

Oh yes, that was just the beginning of his story. Bullard turned to the business of the Jazz Age and made a name for himself in Paris all over again in the 1920s, and the '30s, and the '40s. Read about the amazing life of Eugene Bullard at the Jax Examiner.  -via Fark

(Image credit: U.S. Air Force)

Update: Regarding the post title, the Jax Examiner calls Bullard the Black Sparrow, but he was actually known as the Black Swallow.