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A fatal collision between an American Airlines flight and an Army Black Hawk helicopter claimed the life of civil rights attorney and aspiring HBCU professor, Kiah Duggins per a report by the New York Post. The crash, described as the deadliest airline disaster on U.S. soil in over two decades, took place Wednesday night near Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, killing all 67 people onboard.
Ms. Duggins, a civil rights attorney for the non-profit Civil Rights Corps and former Miss Kansas contestant, was en route from Wichita, Kansas, to Washington, D.C., where she had been preparing for her next professional chapter as a law professor at Howard University this fall, according to her pageant director Larry Strong who posted about it on his Facebook page.
Duggins earned her law degree from Harvard University, where she served as president of the Harvard Legal Aid Bureau. Prior to that, she earned multiple bachelor’s degrees from Wichita State University and completed a Fulbright grant in Taiwan focused on education.
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A proud alumna of Wichita Public Schools, Duggins expressed a deep commitment to social justice in both her professional and personal endeavors. She studied prison industrial complex abolition and movement lawyering as a Law for Black Lives Fellow, integrating those concepts into her daily work. Previously, she collaborated with organizations such as the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California to combat police misconduct and systemic injustices within the legal system.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Ms. Duggins was known for her vibrant personality, a love for international travel, and a passion for dancing. Friends and colleagues often spoke of her unique ability to make those around her feel seen and inspired. A description of her on the Civil Rights Corps website celebrated her curiosity and joy for life, noting that she cherished “asking about people’s daily magical moments.”
Additionally, Ms. Duggins was a standout in the pageant world, serving as Miss Butler County in 2014 and 2015 and earning top ten finalist honors twice at the Miss Kansas Pageant.
American Airlines Flight 5342, carrying 67 passengers and crew, crashed into the Potomac River after colliding with a Black Hawk helicopter shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday. The cause of the collision is still under investigation by federal authorities, though questions surrounding air traffic safety and operational protocols have begun to surface.
