in 1958, twa became the first major airline to hire an african american flight attendant, hiring margaret grant after another african american woman, dorothy franklin of astoria, queens, new york, filed a lawsuit alleging "that she had been discriminated against 'because of poor complexion ... unattractive teeth' and legs that were 'not shapely.'" new york governor w. averell harriman praised her hiring, saying the action "would raise american prestige abroad."