Nellie Zabel Willhite

Until 1944 Nellie worked as a

commercial pilot who carried airmail.

She was the first and only deaf person to

do so. Nellie also earned her living

working as a barnstormer, or a pilot who

performs stunts in from of audiences.

Nellie enjoyed giving rides to

anyone who asked.

“Even though I

couldn’t hear the engine,

I could tell right away if anything

was wrong just from the vibrations.”

1990

Deaf World

The Americans with Disabilities Act is

passed and prohibits any discrimination against people with disabilities, deafness included, in employment, transportation, public accommodations, communications, and government activities.

1991

Nellie Zabel Willhite passed away at the age of 99. In the same year she was inaugurated into

the South Dakota Aviation Hall of Fame.

“Pard” is now on display at the Southern

Museum of Flight in Birmingham,

Alabama.

March, 1988

The Deaf World:

Deaf President Now Movement

Gallaudet found itself in the midst of a student led protest now known as the Deaf President Now Movement. Students, faculty, staff, and members of the deaf community gathered to demonstrate their wish for Gallaudet's president to be a member of the Deaf

World. The movement had a clear goal

and was particularly organized and

accomplished their goal.

Not only did Nellie Zabel Willhite break gender

barriers within the workforce, she also broke barriers

between the hearing and deaf worlds. The aviation field

of work was predominantly a male workforce, yet Nellie

found a job within the field. She first worked as a stenographer in the field which flies in the face of most stereotypes of both females and deaf females.

Nellie joined aviation school at the age of 35

and found that she really enjoyed the process. In 1928 she graduated aviation school with her aviation license. This made her the first woman in South Dakota to get her aviation license and the first Deaf woman ever to earn their pilot’s license. She then preceded to fly her first solo flight.

Keep in mind that:

The United States began licensing pilots as a result of the Air Commerce Act of 1926. The

first female in the United States earned

her pilot’s license in 1927

Her hearing father, Charley “Pard” Zabel, bought her an open-cockpit Alexander Eaglerock OX-5 biplane in support of her aviation education. This plane was one of the most popular models for stunt work. Nellie nicknamed the plane "Pard" after the nickname she had given her father years before.

1929

This speaks to the quality education she received and the grasp

of English grammar and syntax Nellie had. Obviously she was

able to both grasp and master enough English language to

work as a stenographer and have her records readable by

any hearing person working at the airfield. Most children

who are pre-lingually deafened, as Nellie was, have

great difficulty grasping English language

as they have no previous knowledge

of the language system to

learn from.

Nellie acted as one of the 99

founding members of the Ninety -Nines, a club which aimed to improve aviation opportunities for women.

After finishing her education, Nellie went

on to work as a Stenographer at an airfield.

Her job duties included taking reports of the

events that occurred at the airfield.

1944

It was here that she met an aviation instructor

who became her friend as well as her inspiration

to learn to fly. The instructor suggested that

Nellie attend aviation school and learn to fly,

instead of just being an airfield stenographer.

1941

Nellie founded the South Dakota chapter of the Ninety-Nines.

Nellie married Dr. F. V. Willhite, a friend whom she met while at school. Her marriage was happy and

successful.

Today the club has members

from all over the world.

Nellie developed rubella and was completely

deafened at the age of 2.

She continues to be, however, a fully functional

child. After her mother’s death, she attended

school in Sioux Falls to become an educated

member of society.

(Unfortunately there was not enough

information about whether or not this

school was residential or if Nellie

was mainstreamed)

The Deaf Agenda states that deaf individuals

are still fighting for certain basic human rights

within their day to day life. One of these rights that

Deaf adults are struggling to achieve is the right to hold

a valid driver’s license. However, Nellie surpassed this a received her pilot’s license.

1894

Nellie is now two years old, and she catches the

measles.

Measles, or rubeola, causes fever, rash, and can develop

into rubella. Rubella, or the German Measles, has the

possibility of causing deafness and other “defects” in

fetuses and children. “Defect” is a very sensitive term,

however it is used by medical professionals to this day.

Rubella is most often associated with the “Rubella

Bulge,” the large group of children deafened in

the1960’s before adequate diagnosis

and treatment.

November 22, 1892

A small baby girl is born in Box Elder, South Dakota.

The only child is later named Eleanor Zabel.

The little girl grows up hearing the noises of the ranch her she lives on with her parents, happily playing in the sun, and earning herself the nickname Nellie.

1892

The Deaf World

In the same year the Alabama School for the

Negro Deaf and Blind in Talladega is

established.

Nellie Zabel

Willhite

Nellie was a pioneer for females working towards gender equality and for members of both genders within the

deaf community. Stereotypes and stigmas surrounding deaf individuals make the hearing world question the ability of someone “disabled” as Nellie was to

accomplish these tasks. However, Nellie was

simply a woman who believed in the

inherent ability of females

across the world.

Esther Sumner