Despite his obvious skills, the nearby Port Columbus Authority declined to give him a job. Carmon would still pack his family up on weekends to watch planes take off from the airfield. Carmon’s knack for building aircraft and mechanics would be passed on to one of his sons, who worked four decades for the Curtiss-Wright manufacturing company.
In 2004, Carmon was recognized by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority for the 75th anniversary of Port Columbus International Airport. The annual report featured a photo of Carmon alongside his aircraft.
More recognition of Carmon’s achievements came in 2010 when former Congresswoman Mary Jo Kilroy and the Ohio Historical Society honored him. That same year, Carmon was honored by his granddaughter and the Columbus community at the Ohio Historical Center with a Citation of Achievement from Mayor Michael Coleman.
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Little Known Black History Fact: Lonnie Carmon was originally published on blackamericaweb.com
