Meet the first black stewardess in the world -Leopoldine Emma Doualla-Bell Smith

I am honored to interview the first black stewardess in the WORLD who  took to the skies a few years  before history was made in the United States when Patricia Banks-Edmiston, ( who became the first black to be hired by a commerical airline) took several US airlines to court for discrimination in 1956. Ruth Carol Taylor is credited  with being the first black stewardess, hired by a Regional airlines, in the United States.

Leopoldine Emma Doualla-Bell Smith was born in Cameroon and was a princess of the royal Douala family.  She was asked to serve as a ground hostess for  UAT, which was an airline that served France's African routes,  After graduating from high school in 1956, she was sent to Paris by Air France for additional training.  She began flying as a stewardess for UAT( the name changed to UTA once it merged with Union de Transports Aeriens)  in 1957, at the age of 17.  In 1960 she was invited to become a stewardess with Air Afrique.  She was the only qualified African in a French aviation and her employee number was 001.  During her 12 year career  she also obtain the position as Air Afrique first cabin chief, equivalent to Lead Flight Attendant on domestic airline. 

Please join me at 2:00pm  CST for this fabulous interview July 5th

Call in number is  914-205-5326