Long Beach Airport (LGB), the oldest municipal airport in California, is celebrating its century of operation with a deep dive into its backstory and influence on local aviation history. LGB chronicles in a report its 100 years with an emphasis on voices often sidelined in the historical narrative. The report is available for public consumption and paints a colorful portrait of both the airport and the SoCal skies.
According to a press release by the City of Long Beach, the comprehensive gazette, titled “Long Beach Airport and Southern California: A Brief New Aviation and Aeronautics History (1900s–1980s)," propels readers through a narrative rich with historical gems. It includes the sagas of figures like Earl Daugherty and Frank Champion, Long Beach's first licensed flyboys, and Barbara Erickson London, the sole female recipient of an Air Medal during WWII. The chronicle is penned by Dr. Alison Rose Jefferson and Dr. Philip S. Hart, scholars steeped in the region's aeronautical traditions.
Mayor Rex Richardson expressed his excitement about the launch of the report, mentioning, "It gives our community a detailed look into LGB’s impressive history and the innovative people who were key to its success," in a statement obtained by the press. The report unearths the contributions of aviators of color as well, such as Mexican-American aviation entrepreneur Monty Montijo and Henry Ohye, a Japanese-American pilot who spearheaded an annual Long Beach air race in 1965.
LGB nods to the "Rosie the Riveters" of the era and iconic figures such as Amelia Earhart and Pancho Barnes. The airport has been the roost of giant manufacturers like Douglas Aircraft and The Boeing Company, where moguls including Howard Hughes and Charles Lindbergh had a part to play in the saga. Airport Director Cynthia Guidry weighed in, telling the publication how proud she is of the legacy that's taking off into another century.
A formal presentation, hosted by the authors and open to the public free of charge, is scheduled for January 25 at the Billie Jean King Library, complete with a pre-show reception and complimentary parking.
