Flygirl

The next day, Ida shows Jolene the newspaper article. Jolene tells Ida that the program is only looking for white women. Even though the article doesn’t say so explicitly, Ida knows Jolene is right, remembering how Thomas is only allowed to treat black soldiers in the army. Jolene mentions to Ida that she could try to pass as white. Ida and Jolene both know other black women who have passed as white, such as Stevia, a girl a year ahead of them in school who has fair skin and is married to a white man. But they also remember being invited to Stevia’s graduation party. When they arrived, Stevia’s cousin, Janice, wouldn’t let Jolene into the party because of her dark skin. Ida walked out of the party with Jolene, thinking to herself:“I never wanted to be like Janice Johnson and her cousin Stevia” (35).

At home, Abel notices that one woman in the photograph accompanying the article is Chinese. Ida thinks that maybe if they let another woman who isn’t white become a WASP, they will let her as well. But Ida still needs a pilot’s license to apply. Abel asks if she can use their father’s license.