Captain Brady Tonth, Jr.
A graduate of Mississippi Valley State University, Brady Tonth, Jr. was the first MVSU Air Force ROTC graduate to become a pilot after completing training in Columbus, Mississippi. In 1979, he became the first African American pilot in the Mississippi Air National Guard. He served in Operation Desert Storm and Desert Shield, eventually earning the rank of major. In 1986, he became a pilot for American Airlines and was the captain of the airline's first all-black flight crew.