Ruth Carol Taylor (born December 27, 1931) was the first African-American airline stewardess (flight attendant) in the United States.[1]
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.[2][3][4]
Hired in December 1957,[4] on February 11, 1958, Taylor was the stewardess on a Mohawk Airlines flight from Ithace to New York, the first time such a position had been held by an African American.[5] She was let go within six months as a result of Mohawk's then-common marriage ban.[6]
Taylor was later significantly involved in covering the 1963 March on Washington and as an activist for consumer affairs and women's rights.[3]
In 2008, fifty years after her historic flight, her accomplishments were formally recognized by the New York State Assembly.[3]