I'm willing to bet Alfred Anderson and Jimi Hendrix never knew each other. They were born decades apart. Yet they had a few things in common, including both being black and pioneers in their fields. Oh, and they both knew well what it was like to get high, but in totally different ways.

In the early 1900s, long before African-Americans could afford to or were even allowed to fly, airplanes fascinated young Anderson. From his grandmother's home in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, he would run off in search of seeing them fly. As he grew, his dreams were to become a pilot. But, of course, in the 1920s, flight schools weren't accepting black students.

Anderson refused to give up. Over time, he raised $2,500 to buy a used plane and taught himself to fly from books and with the help of some friendly white pilots. As a pilot myself, I can attest that this is almost inconceivable. The technicalities of flight are so daunting, it would be like teaching yourself to juggle chainsaws. A positive outcome isn't likely.

Nevertheless, Anderson did it, and went on to break flight records and inspire other young black men to dream of flying. When World War II loomed, the Tuskegee Airmen were formed and Anderson became chief flying instructor. The rest is history. He took former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt on a private plane ride and taught hundreds of black pilots to fly and escort heavy U.S. bombers over Germany.

The first class of black Tuskegee pilots graduated in1942, which was also the year Jimi Hendrix was born in Seattle. He, too, had a brush with the military. He enlisted in 1961 but was discharged just a year later. By his own admission, he wasn't a good soldier. Conversely, he was a very good guitarist; he began playing the instrument at age 15.

After the Army, Hendrix moved to Tennessee and played in the Isley Brothers' band and with Little Richard. But he wasn't making his own mark in the U.S., so in 1966, he moved to England. There, Chas Chandler, the bass player for the Animals, took notice of Hendrix and began promoting him. Soon, he was a commercial success overseas. In 1967, he came back to the states and shot to fame after playing at that year's Monterey Pop Festival.

Coincidentally, 1967 was also when Anderson — who had become known as the "Charles Lindbergh of Black Aviation" — began Negro Airmen International, a program helping young black men to become aviators. Hendrix was promoting his latest album "Electric Ladyland," and was also busy becoming the world's highest-paid performer and preparing to headline the historic concert in Woodstock, N.Y., in 1969.

Although Hendrix soared into rock history, he crashed and burned in 1970, at the young age of 27, after an apparent drug and alcohol overdose. Hendrix's legacy continued, being named "Greatest Guitarist of All Time" by Rolling Stone magazine in 2005.

The same year Hendrix died, Anderson was just beginning to wind down his storied career. The "Father of Black Aviation," as he was also known, went on to live and fly another 26 years, dying at his home in Tuskegee, Ala., in 1996, at age 89.

Since Anderson opened the door over 80 years ago, thousands of African-Americans have become pilots. And because of Hendrix's dynamic playing, countless black musicians have come to the forefront. When he was alive, Hendrix once commented, "I've been imitated so well I've heard people copy my mistakes." Clearly, dying at age 27 is one mistake he'd want no one to emulate.

Two stamps honoring the aviation and music icons have just been issued. The 70-cent C. Alfred Chief Anderson stamp (covering mail up to two ounces) features a portrait of the aviator in vintage flying gear. The Jimi Hendrix Forever stamp captures the musician in a colorfully stylized 1960s psychedelic motif. Each is currently available at most post offices.

Special First Day of Issue cancels on both stamps are available for collectors by mail. To obtain them, purchase the stamps at a local post office and affix them to separate self-addressed envelopes. Send those inside a separate mailing envelope. The respective mailing addresses for the cancels are: C. Alfred Chief Anderson Stamp, 16 N. Bryn Mawr Ave., Bryn Mawr, PA 19010-9998; or Jimi Hendrix Station, Postmaster, 8225 Cross Park Drive, Austin, TX 78710-9998.

There's no charge for the special First Day cancels but all orders must be submitted NO later than May 12, 2014.

Editor's Note: JPEG visuals of the new Alfred Anderson and Jimi Hendrix stamps have been sent with this column.

To find out more about Peter Rexford and features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.