Charles Crenchaw

African-American mountaineer and veteran flight engineer

September 11, 1921 – October 27, 1998

On July 9, 1964, Charles Crenchaw became the first African-American to summit Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley), the highest-peak in North America.

Prior to the historic climb, achieved as a member of a climb with the Seattle Mountaineers Crenchaw served as a Master Sergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corps. As flight engineer, he was in charge of maintenance for airplanes flown by the Tuskegee Airmen. His service was an experiment designed to demonstrate the ability of black pilots to serve with distinction as officers and in combat. The Tuskegee Airmen were credited with having flown many successful bomber escort missions over Europe.

After his military service Crenchaw attended Morehouse College under the GI Bill, then the University of Chicago Graduate School of Engineering after his service. He majored in industrial management, and worked for the Boeing Aircraft Company in Seattle in quality control for several key components of the Apollo space program.

Crenchaw lived most of his life in the Pacific Northwest, where he developed an interest in climbing. In 1961 he joined the Seattle Mountaineers. In 1963 he was invited by team leader Alvin E. Randall to be part of an expedition the following year to climb Mount McKinley via the Karstens Ridge. A team of 15 including Crenchaw reached the summit on July 9, 1964. It was the largest single group (18 climb) to attempt Denali. It also had the largest number of women (three) to reach the summit in a single party.

Crenchaw went on to climb many more mountains over the course of his lifetime and served on the board of directors of the American Alpine Club for many years. He died after a long illness in 1998. Tragically, his accomplishments and legacy went completely unknown and uncelebrated by the next generation of African-American climbers, who might have followed in his footsteps and tackled McKinley themselves if they had only known.

Crenchaw’s mountaineering pursuits are closely tied with the Civil Rights Movement. The March on Washington was featured in the November 1963 edition of Ebony magazine. The same edition featured a story on an aspiring black mountaineer named Crenchaw. As it happened Crenchaw reached the top of America just seven days after the Civil Rights Amendment was signed into law.

In 2013, a team of all African-American climbers, known as Expedition Denali, used Crenchaw as inspiration as they attempted to follow his footsteps to the summit of Denali.

Sources:

Revolvy.com

Mountaineers.org

Wikipedia

The Joy Trip Project

Northwest Arkansas Democrat Gazette

The CAF Red Tail Squadron is a volunteer-driven organization dedicated to educating audiences across the country about the history and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, America’s first black military pilots and their support personnel.

Share:

More Posts

Russell Clarence Nalle, Jr.

Russell Clarence Nalle, Jr. August 30, 1921 February 7, 2025 Class: 44-H-TE Graduation date: 9/8/1944 Rank at time of graduation: Flt. Officer Unit: 477th Bombardment Group Service # T66150 From: Detroit MI Born in 1921,

Read More »

Frances Dias Gustavson

Frances Dias Gustavson December 28, 1916 – February 7, 1994 Class 43-W-2 Planes flown: PT-19, BT-13, UC-78 Assigned bases: Love Field (Dallas, Tex.) Frances Diaswas one of two Latina WASP Frances Johanna Dias Gustavson was an

Read More »

Nathan O. Thomas

Nathan O. Thomas 1926 – December 22, 2024 He served stateside during World War II, and supported pilots, mechanics, and other ground personnel as an information and education specialist. Mr. Thomas was drafted in 1945

Read More »

Nathaniel Walter Goins, Jr.

Nathaniel Walter Goins, Jr. February 1918-1970 – March 30, 1970 Class: 45-H-TE Graduation date: 11/20/1945 Rank at time of graduation: 1st Lt. Service # 0582758 From: St. Paul MN Nathaniel Walter Goins, Jr. was the

Read More »

Send Us A Message