People have asked me how I decide on the next book I want to read. Well, the truth is I do not always know and sometimes find hidden gems purely by accident. Such is the case with this book. It was not on my radar at all, but I am deeply grateful that I did discover it. And to be brutally honest, I admit feeling a sense of guilt that I did not know of Eugene Jacques Bullard (1895-1961), whose life story is preserved in this biography by Phil Keith with Tom Clavin which left me grateful and humbled. 

Before continuing, I must point out that there are aspects of Bullard’s life lost to history. However, there is a wealth of information about him in public records, and Bullard both wrote and spoke about his life. You might be wondering how this Black American ended up in France becoming an infantry soldier, pilot, business owner, and celebrity in his own right. The proof is in the pudding as they say, and once I began the book, I found myself glued to it, stealing any spare time to open my Kindle and pick up where I left off. There are sections of the book which are not pleasant to read, and readers sensitive to descriptions of warfare and racial discrimination may want to use discretion. Despite the dark moments in the story, the book is an incredible story of a man who made history in his own way.

Bullard’s story begins in the Deep South, in Georgia where he is born in 1895. It is understood that this time in America was exceedingly difficult for Black people, particularly in rural Georgia. And the difficulties one would expect are in the story, highlighting the sacrifices parents made for their children. As for Eugene, it soon becomes clear that life under Jim Crow is not what he wants, and by the age of sixteen, he is on his way to a life abroad which took him to places he could have never imagined. The unorthodox and surprising chain of events detailed by the authors is a testament to the luck and help from others which shape our lives.

Although he had departed from America, the story is far from over. Arrival in the United Kingdom provides the starting point for his European journey which takes him to France and in the trenches during World War I. The story feels like a depiction out of Hollywood, and as I read about the injuries he sustained and the loss of life, I could not imagine the fear and anxiety which must have gripped him and his fellow soldiers. War is brutal and its savagery is on full display here. However, Bullard had an unusual ability to keep pressing forward, first as a boxer and then as a soldier. And when battlefield wounds and a chance opportunity present a rare opportunity, he takes to the skies in the seat of a cockpit. It is here when the story changes gears as the legend is born.

The book has its twists and turns including his brief love affair with a “lady of the night” and the arrival of American forces in World War I (1914-1918) which brings the nightmare of Jim Crow to France where Bullard and his contemporaries make it clear to the Americans that Europe was not the South. Nonetheless, there were those who tried their best to make his life miserable, and Dr. Edmund Gros (1869-1942) proves to be his arch nemesis. Despite the roadblocks, Bullard continues to earn his fame and builds a life in France. Although the country was not void of racial prejudice, Bullard does well for himself and his club became so popular that he entertained people from all walks of life including authors Ernest Hemingway (1899-1961) and F. Scott Fitzgerald (1896-1940).  He also found love and marriage which produced two daughters and an ill-fated son. The marriage did not last, and it is not clear what happened. We have a general idea based on the book, but Bullard remained silent on some details. Regardless, it is a sad moment in his story and the arrival of World War II (1939-1945) would split the family apart. But there is a happy conclusion to their story which will make you smile. The war brought the reality of the Nazi menace to France’s doorstep, and an underground resistance network develops. Bullard finds a friend and partner in Cleopatre “Kitty” Terrier who becomes a lifelong friend and plays an instrumental role in saving Bullard’s family. Resistance to Nazi Germany’s Third Reich was dangerous and Bullard comes close to meeting his maker in one disturbing incident as explained by the authors. The surreal and uplifting story is a  shining moment in the book.

In July 1940, Bullard returned to the United States and Harlem became his home for the rest of his life. But he was not one to sit still and attempts to revisit the past with a trip to his native Georgia. This part of the book will stir emotions for readers who have spent an extensive amount of time away from home. Today we have email, instant messaging, and social media, but in Bullard’s time, letters and telephone were the methods of communication. Reading his plight reminded me of the conveniences of modern technology and the saying that “there is no place like home”. Bullard returned to New York and found employment at Rockefeller Center operating an elevator while attending official functions in Manhattan related to the French government. And that is the iron of his story. In America his skills and war record were unknown but to the French, he was one of their greatest heroes.But a chance encounter with a studio executive gives Bullard his “fifteen minutes” of fame on national television. Alas, the “Black Swallow of Death” had earned recognition on home soil. 

Time catches up with us all and Bullard was no exception. His physical decline is hard to accept but I also thought of the physical and emotional trauma throughout the story and how each took its toll on him. But throughout the book, Bullard kept pressing forward and beamed with pride at the medals and recognition he earned in Europe. And in time, his own country would honor his life in ways he could not have predicted as a young boy living under Jim Crow. His life story is full of highs, lows, heartbreak, and moments of unimaginable glory. This book has quickly become a favorite of mine and I have already recommended it to a close friend. I now recommended it to anyone interested in an incredible story about world history and Eugene Bullard who proved throughout his life that all blood runs red. 

ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07N7G776W
Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hanover Square Press, January 18, 2023