A native of Laurens County, Henderson became the first black from South Carolina to obtain a Commercial Pilot’s License, Aviation Ground Instructor rating, Flight Instructor rating and instrument rating.
Instrumental in breaking the race barrier in aviation, he was a pilot and Flight Instructor during World War II. He became an Army Air Corps Aviation Cadet Program Instructor at Tuskegee Institute in Alabama. He trained about 20 cadets a year who entered aerial combat in the all Black 99th Pursuit Squadron in the European Theatre World War II. He served as commissioner for Columbia Owens Downtown Airport.
In 1991, he was named the South Carolina Aviator of the Year.