Leslie Payne’s Aviator Goggles

Leslie J. Payne · Mid-20th century

These aviator goggles were once part of artist Leslie Payne’s “flights of imagination.” The self-taught artist wore goggles and handcrafted flight suits while piloting airplanes that he made across fields and along local roads. Originally, the two lenses linked across the nose, and a strap held them on the wearer’s head. The goggles were genuine, made by Willson Products of Reading, Pennsylvania, a company noted for its protective eyewear. Payne (1907-1980), who was African American, grew up during segregation in rural Virginia. He used ordinary, or “found,” objects to transform his environment and find freedom on his own terms.