Columbia Air Center, also known as Riverside Airfield, was the first licensed Black-owned and operated airport in the United States. Located in Croom, Prince George’s County, Maryland, it operated from 1940–1962. Columbia Air Center was more than an airfield, it was a home for the Black community, an expression of self-determination. Its history and legacy have been largely overlooked. Since 2022, College Park Aviation Museum has been honored to work with four Columbia Air Center’s descendant families and pilots to create the exhibition “Columbia Air Center – Determined to Fly.” This exhibit will be located in one of the museum’s three 800 sq ft. galleries and is scheduled to open to the public in the fall of 2025. Please join Museum Director Dr. Nadine Boksmati-Fattouh and Collections Curator and project lead Luke Perez as they talk about the curatorial approach and implementation of this groundbreaking interactive exhibition.

Corridor Conversations are organized by Hyattsville Aging in Place, Helping Hands University Park, Neighbors Helping Neighbors of College Park, and Explorations on Aging. For more information, click here.