a tuskegee airmen essay

At the Smithsonian | March 24, 2021

The Soaring Legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen

The 80th anniversary of the first Black flying unit is a time to recall the era when military service meant confronting foes both at home and abroad

Allison Keyes

Museum Correspondent

“Somebody had to do it,” says Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson , a 99-year-old member of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen . As the first Black pilots in U.S. military service, the Airmen's bravery both in the air and in enduring racism made them legends and the personification of honor and service.

“We had to rise to the occasion,” recalls Jefferson, a proud member of the 332nd Fighter Group and one of the class of pilots known as “ Red Tails ” after the distinctive markings on the P-51 Mustangs that they flew. On missions deep into enemy territory, including Germany, they escorted heavy bombers to their targets. “Would we do it again? Hell yes! Would we try doubly? You’d better believe it. Did we have a lot of fun? At gut level, it was great!”

This week, March 22, marks the 80th anniversary of the activation at Chanute Field, Illinois, of the first Black flying unit, the 99th Pursuit Squadron . Later known as the 99th Fighter Squadron, it moved to Alabama's Tuskegee Army Airfield in November 1941. The first Black pilots graduated from advanced training there in March 1942. Eventually, nearly 1,000 Black pilots and more than 13,500 others including women, armorers, bombardiers, navigators and engineers in various Army Air Force organizations who served with them, were included in what is known by Tuskegee Airmen, Inc . as the “Tuskegee Experience” from 1941 to 1949.

The Tuskegee Airmen flew more than 15,000 individual sorties in Europe and North Africa during World War II and earned 96 Distinguished Flying Crosses. Their prowess, in a military establishment that believed that black Americans were inferior to white Americans and could not possibly become pilots, became what many see as the catalyst to the eventual desegregation of all military services by President Harry S. Truman in 1948. Facilities around the country, including the Tuskegee Airmen National Museum in Detroit, have a plethora of artifacts dedicated to telling their story. In Washington, D.C., the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) has an aircraft known as the “ Spirit of Tuskegee ” hanging from the ceiling. The blue and yellow Stearman PT 13-D was used to train Black pilots from 1944 to 1946.

Lt. Col. Jefferson didn’t train on that aircraft, but he got to take a ride in it in 2011 , before it arrived at Andrews Air Force Base. The plane was bought and restored by Air Force Captain Matt Quy, who flew it across the country to donate it to the museum. The training aircraft made several stops at air shows and airfields across the nation, including its original home at Moton Field during World War II, in Tuskegee, Alabama. Quy flew the “Spirit of Tuskegee” that year over a hotel at Maryland's National Harbor, during a Tuskegee Airmen convention. Forty of the original airmen and hundreds of other members of the legendary group were on hand, celebrating the 70th anniversary of their first training missions.

“It was fantastic,” Jefferson recalls, adding that it reminded him of a similar aircraft on which he learned to fly. “It brought back memories of my first ride in a PT-17 .”

Smithsonian curator Paul Gardullo , who says collecting the Stearman PT-13 was possibly one of the most momentous things he helped accomplish for NMAAHC, also got to take a ride in the open cockpit biplane. He notes it is one of a host of aircraft used by the Tuskegee Airmen that do not have red tails like the famous P-51s.

“When you take off, you don’t necessarily feel that strong thrust like you do in a typical 747. It’s slow, it’s easy, and because it’s open, you feel like you are part of nature. You feel everything around you,” Gardullo says. “What it provides is this incredible sense of your connection to that machine because it is so small, your connection to the world around you and your ability to control your destiny. That’s what I think is such an empowering thing when I think about these men who are learning to fly for the first time, and that’s what they talk about.”

Gardullo says the P-51 is a deeply important and symbolic plane, especially the red tail. But he says when he spoke with some of the Tuskegee Airmen who saw the training plane as it made its journey across the nation, particularly at its stop in July 2011 in Tuskegee, he got an evocative, incredible history lesson.

“We learned about the trials that they went through, not just the technical trials of learning how to fly a plane, but learning how to fly a plane in the Jim Crow South, and what it meant to hold a position of esteem and authority, and demonstrate your patriotism in a country that isn’t respecting you as a full citizen,” Gardullo explains. “That brought us face to face with what I call a complex kind of patriotism. And there’s no better example of that than the Tuskegee Airmen, the way in which they held themselves to a standard higher than the nation held them in esteem. It’s a powerful lesson, and its one we can’t ever forget when we’re thinking about what America is, and what America means.”

The Smithsonian’s Spencer Crew , who most recently held the position of NMAAHC’s interim director, notes that the history of the Tuskegee Airmen is remarkable, and that their battle goes all of the way back to World War I, when Black Americans lobbied the federal government to participate in the war as airmen, and to fight aerial battles. At that time, because of segregation, and the belief that Black people could not learn to fly sophisticated aircraft, they weren’t allowed to participate. In 1938, President Franklin D. Roosevelt announced that the U.S. Army Air Corps (AAC), a precursor of the U.S. Air Force, would expand its civilian pilot training program. Then the NAACP and Black newspapers such as the Chicago Defender and the Pittsburgh Courier began lobbying for African American inclusion.

“What happened is that Congress finally puts pressure on the War Department to allow African Americans to train to be pilots, and the War Department figures they don’t have the skills, the abilities or bravery to be airmen. They think, ‘What we’ll do is send them to Alabama and attempt to train them, but we expect that they will fail,’” Crew explains. “But instead, what happened is that these really, brilliant men go to Tuskegee, dedicate themselves to learn how to fly and become a very important part of the Air Force. They were highly trained when they got to Tuskegee in the first place. Some had been trained in the military, many had been engineers, and they just brought a very high skill level with them to this work.”

A look at a few of their resumes, before and after being Tuskegee Airmen, is stunning. General Benjamin O. Davis Jr ., part of the first class of aviation cadets, was a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, who commanded both the 99th Fighter Squadron and the 332ndd Fighter Group, and became the first Black general in the Air Force. He is the son of General Benjamin O. Davis Sr., the first Black American to hold the rank in the U.S. Army. General Daniel “Chappie” James , who served in the 477thBombardment Group, flew fighter aircraft in the Korean and Vietnam wars, and became the first African American four-star general in the Air Force. Brigadier General Charles McGee , who served with the 332nd Fighter Group in World War II, also served in Korea and Vietnam, and flew 409 combat missions. Lt. Col. Jefferson, also with the 332nd Fighter Group, is the grandson of Rev. William Jefferson White, one of the founders of what is now Morehouse College in Atlanta. Jefferson worked as an analytical chemist before becoming a Tuskegee Airmen. He was shot down and captured on August 12, 1944, after flying 18 missions for the 332nd, and spent eight months in the POW camp at Stalag Luft III before being freed. He received the Purple Heart in 2001.

Jefferson, who will turn 100 years old in November, says the 80th anniversary of the beginning of the Tuskegee Airmen training program is very close to his heart, partly because there are so few of them left. He remembers what it felt like to begin the flying courses at the small airfield there, learning the craft from Black instructors. He says one had to volunteer for flight training, because even though African Americans were subject to the draft in the segregated military, that would not get you into the flying program.

“If you were drafted as a Black man, you went into a work situation where you were a private in a segregated unit doing nasty, dirty work with a white commander,” he remembers, adding that it was exciting to be breaking the rules society at the time had set up for African Americans. As an airman, one was an officer under better conditions, with better pay and a sense of pride and accomplishment.

“It was a situation where you knew you were breaking rules, but you were making progress, breaking ground,” Jefferson says. “We knew that we would be relegated to a segregated group, the 332nd Fighter Group, under the racial attitude of the government and we were fighting that too.”

He says he and the other Tuskegee Airmen think sometimes about how their achievements, in the face of deep racism, helped pave the way for other Black pilots.

“Here we were, in a racist society, joining up to fight the Germans, another white racist society, and we’re right in the middle,” Jefferson says, adding “we tried to do our job for the United States.”

Historian and educator John W. McCaskill gives lectures and does reenactments of military history including World War II and the Tuskegee Airmen, and has been helping to tell their story for decades. He wears their period attire, and his “History Alive” presentations sometimes involve one of the Red Tail planes. McCaskill helped get recognition for Sgt. Amelia Jones , one of the many women who worked in support capacity for the Tuskegee Airmen, under then Col. Davis Jr. with the then 99th Pursuit Squadron.

“It wasn’t just the pilots. It was anybody who was part of the Tuskegee Experience,” explains McCaskill, who met Jones in 2014 at the World War II Memorial in Washington, D.C., as part of the “Living History Meets Honor Flight” program. Once she told him she had been with the 99th, and sent her discharge papers, McCaskill and others were able to get her into Tuskegee Airmen Inc., and got her sponsored for a Congressional Gold Medal . It was awarded collectively to the Tuskegee Airmen in 2007.

“As a sergeant, she had about 120 women that she was in charge of, and they were dealing with mail, sending mail overseas,” McCaskill explains.

He says as the nation honors the service of the Tuskegee Airmen, it is important for people to understand just how much service Black people have provided for the military, and for the stories of the African American experience in military history to continue to be told. It is critical, he says, on their 80th anniversary.

“African Americans played a critical role in World War II, and just about 2,000 Black Americans were on the shores of Normandy on D-Day . But if you look at the documentaries and newsreels you don’t see them,” McCaskill says. “What this 80th anniversary says to me is that there are still people 80 years later who don’t know about this story and it needs to get out. Every time we lose one of them, we’ve got to ask the question: ‘Have we learned everything from that individual that we were supposed to learn?’ We cannot allow this story to die because every Black pilot, male or female, that sits in a military cockpit or commercial cockpit, owes a debt of gratitude to these individuals who proved once and for all that Blacks were smart enough to fly, and that they were patriotic enough to serve the country.”

Back at the Smithsonian, Crew says the PT-13 training plane that hangs from the ceiling is a wonderful representation of the important kinds of contributions that African Americans have made.

“What it does is remind our younger visitors of the possibilities of what you can do if you just decide to put your mind to it, and if you don’t let others define what you can accomplish and who you are in society,” Crew says, adding that this is of great importance due to the current level of division in the nation.

Lt. Col. Jefferson also has a message for young people.

“Stay in school, and learn how to play the game,” Jefferson says. “Fight racism every time you can.”

Editor's Note 5/3/2021: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the Tuskegee Experience ended in 1946; it ended in 1949. The story also said that the Tuskegee Airmen earned more than 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses; they earned 96. The story has been edited to correct these facts.

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Allison Keyes | | READ MORE

Allison Keyes is an award-winning correspondent, host and author. She can currently be heard on CBS Radio News, among other outlets. Keyes, a former national desk reporter for NPR, has written extensively on race, culture, politics and the arts.

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How Tuskegee Airmen Fought Military Segregation With Nonviolent Action

By: Farrell Evans

Updated: January 22, 2024 | Original: January 20, 2021

The Tuskegee Airmen are best known for proving during World War II that Black men could be elite fighter pilots. Less widely known is the instrumental role these pilots, navigators and bombardiers played during the war in fighting segregation through nonviolent direct action. Their tactics would become a cornerstone of the civil rights movement of the 1950s and ’60s.

The Tuskegee Airmen’s most influential moment of collective civil disobedience came in the spring of 1945, in what became known as the Freeman Field Mutiny. After enduring years of inadequate training facilities, discriminatory policies and hostile commanders in the Army Air Force, 101 officers of the all-Black 477 th Bombardment Group—who had initially trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama—were arrested at Indiana’s Freeman Field base when they refused to sign a base regulation requiring separate officers’ clubs for Black and white soldiers. The order came after 61 Black officers were arrested trying to enter the white officers’ club.

They weren’t alone. After the War Department ordered military bases to integrate all recreational facilities in 1944, Black officers across the country were eager to test the new policy. Most cases—including an earlier incident with the 447 th —involved Black servicemen “entering post exchanges and asking to be served, or entering the theater and seating themselves in the white section,” said Alan M. Osur, a former history professor at the Air Force Academy and the author of Blacks in the Army Air Forces During World War II: The Problems of Race Relations. Nothing had yet occurred on the scale of the Freeman Field Mutiny.

Separate, but Not Equal, Facilities

Their actions sprang out of a long-simmering debate over the unequal treatment of Black and white officers and the integration of officers’ clubs. “The country is not ready to accept white officers and colored officers at the same social level,” said Major General Frank Hunter, the commanding general of the 477 th Bombardment Group. “I base that opinion on the history of this country for the past 125 years.”

At Freeman Field, Hunter’s subordinate, Colonel Robert Selway, established two allegedly equal officers’ clubs—one for the white officers, who were designated as instructors and the other for Black officers, who were classified as trainees. But the two clubs were anything but equal. The white officers’ club had a large fireplace and game room with pool tables, table tennis and card tables, while its Black counterpart was heated by coal stoves and contained none of the aforementioned amenities.

The Black officers nicknamed their officers’ club “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and refused to patronize it, according to Todd Moye, the author of Freedom Flyers: The Tuskegee Airmen of World War II and the director of the National Park Service’s Tuskegee Airmen Oral History Project. “Selway attributed his decision to the belief that fraternization between instructors and trainees would have an ill effect on the group’s training,” Moye said. “In truth, the effort was a transparent attempt to circumvent both the letter and the law...which prohibited segregation of base facilities by race.”

‘You can’t come in here.’

On April 5, 1945, the Black officers of the 477th began an orchestrated attempt over two days to integrate the white officers’ club at Freeman Field. The officers were led by Lt. Coleman A. Young, a bombardier and navigator and former United Auto Workers organizer in Detroit, who had successfully helped integrate the officers’ club at the Midland, Texas Army Air Field the year before.

At a strategy session a few days before the start of the Freeman Field sit-ins, Young and a group of Black officers decided to use nonviolent action and to enter the white officers’ club in small groups so it wouldn’t appear coordinated. “They were prepared for our arrival, expectin’ trouble. MPs were there to keep us out of the club the night we arrived,” said Young, who later became the first Black mayor of Detroit. “We were gonna scatter, play pool, get a drink, buy cigarettes. The white captain says: ‘You can’t come in here.’ We just brushed past him and scattered. The commandin’ officer was livid and placed us under arrest, at quarters.”

Young, who recounted the episode in an interview with the oral historian Studs Terkel, went on to say it was his responsibility to convince others to continue with the plan. “After the first nine it was tough gettin’ the next nine. But we broke the ice, and two more groups went in and were place[d] under arrest... They wanted to put us in a position of disobeying a post command.”

Base Regulation 85-2

With the exception of three officers charged with “jostling” a white commanding officer at the officers’ club, Young and 57 other officers who were arrested were released to their quarters on April 9, four days after the start of the sit-ins. But Hunter and Selway doubled down on their racist policies by issuing Base Regulation 85-2 to strengthen and clarify their position on the issue, according to Lawrence P. Scott and William M. Womack, authors of Double V: The Civil Rights Struggle of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Base Regulation 85-2, which mandated segregation of officers by unit (which, in effect, meant race), was posted around the base. Selway ordered all officers, Black and white, to appear individually before a board and attest that they fully understood 85-2. All 292 white officers signed the regulation, while 101 of 422 Black officers refused. “A few of the trainee officers signed it as written, some signed it striking out the words ‘and fully understand,’ and others signed it, but wrote endorsements claiming it was racial discrimination,” Selway wrote in his report.

The 101 Black officers who refused to sign were placed under arrest and flown secretly to Godman Army Air Field in Kentucky, where they were put on temporary duty for 90 days. The three Black officers accused of “jostling” with military police were held back at Freeman to be court-martialed. According to Moye, Black officers still at Freeman continued to try entering the white officers’ club. “When the men approached the club, Colonel Patterson would ask who the spokesperson for the group was, and all of the members would respond, ‘no one,’” Moye wrote.

A Consideration of Capital Punishment

On April 25, 1945, 12 days after their arrest, the 101 Black officers were released with a reprimand on their records—after pressure from the NAACP , the National Urban League and the Black press. According to Scott and Womack in their book Double V, General Hunter had wanted the men court-martialed, but the Judge Advocate General’s office deemed the administrative reprimand adequate punishment because “trying the officers on violation of the 64 th Article of War could result in capital punishment, something the army could not politically afford.”

Following the airmen’s release, George S. Schuyler, a columnist for the African American weekly Pittsburgh Courier, praised the decision: “It is impossible for any man to be a first-class officer if constantly forced into a second-class position,” he wrote. “It is a pleasure to note that the War Department has had the good sense to release these young men to duty.”

The three Black officers charged with “jostling” in the white officers’ club stood trial. Two, Marsden Thomson and Shirley Clinton, were acquitted and fined. Roger “Bill” Terry, the third officer, was represented by the future Supreme Court justice Thurgood Marshall . A University of California, Los Angeles graduate, Terry was court-martialed and acquitted on the charge of disobeying an officer, but found guilty of “jostling.” Given a $150 fine, he received a dishonorable discharge in November 1945 with a reduction in rank.

The Civil Rights Legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen

In 1995, President Bill Clinton pardoned Terry, restored his rank to Second Lieutenant and refunded his $150. At the same time, Clinton removed General Hunter’s reprimand letters from the permanent files of 15 of the 104 officers charged in the protest. The Air Force also promised to remove the reprimands of the other 89 officers once they were filed.

Terry, who went on to earn a law degree and work as an investigator in the Los Angeles District Attorney’s office, never got to fly overseas during World War II. But he did witness how the 477th Bombardment Group’s nonviolent direct action tactics at Freeman Field influenced the civil rights movement where sit-ins at lunch counters and bus stations transformed the American South.

“We think that it broke the camel’s back because they had to recognize the fact that 104 officers were arrested, and that they all defied this order, and the order was said to be illegal,” Terry said in an interview for the National Park’s Tuskegee Airmen Oral History Project. “We feel—and I think I speak for most of the guys—that it was our advantage that we gave to the Negro people, that there would be no discrimination in the Army Air Force from that time on—at least officially. In 1948, President Harry Truman issued Executive Order 9981, ordering all U.S. military forces to desegregate.

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Foil: 12 Panel: Tuskegee Airmen Column: 1 Line: 27

Wall of Honor Level: Air and Space Friend

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The following was written by Col Charles E. McGee, USAF (Ret).

I had the tremendous experience of training and fighting in World War II as a Tuskegee Airman, one of a tight knit group of African American fighter pilots who broke down racial barriers as they helped defeat the German Luftwaffe.

The P51-C Mustang fighter was a signature aircraft for the Tuskegee Airmen. We painted our Mustangs' tails red so the Germans knew who they were dealing with! The bomber pilots we protected - all of whom were white - called us the "Red Tail Angels."

The following is a quick look back at history.

The Tuskegee Airmen, along with millions of other Americans, fought heroically to defeat Hitler's Germany. But the Airmen really fought two wars - one against the Nazis overseas, the other against segregation in the Armed Services as well as in everyday life.

At the time of the war, the idea of an all African American flight squadron was radical and offensive to many. The prevailing opinion was that blacks did not possess the intelligence or courage to be military pilots. One general even wrote, "The Negro type has not the proper reflexes to make a first-rate fighter pilot." The Tuskegee Airmen certainly proved men like him wrong. Very few bombers were lost on our watch, and 251 enemy aircraft were shot down.

The extraordinary success of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II led to the integration of the Armed Forces by Harry Truman in 1948. Certainly, much of the success of the Tuskegee Airmen is the result of the leadership of Benjamin O. Davis, who would later become a four-star general in the Air Force. Benjamin Davis was the first African American graduate of West Point in the 20th Century. As the son of an Army officer, he had hoped his fellow cadets would judge him based on character and not his race. But instead, he was "shunned" at West Point, which meant he had no roommates and was spoken to only for official reasons.

In 1942, Benjamin Davis was selected to train as a fighter pilot at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama and was in the first graduating class. He was soon named squadron commander. Some believe the intent of setting up the Tuskegee Institute to train black pilots was to show that they didn't have the intelligence or talent to fly. But if that was the intent, it backfired. Benjamin Davis' leadership instilled pride and discipline in his Tuskegee pilots that resulted in our success in combat against the Luftwaffe.

During training, Davis focused on setting goals and working together to attain them. Unlike some commanders who allowed fighter pilots to pursue enemy aircraft far and wide to get "kills," Davis put a premium on fighters staying relatively close to the bombers. This tactic led to the Tuskegee Airmen's success in defending bombers - even against the much faster German Messerschmitts -- and helped shorten the war. The Tuskegee Airmen's success in safely escorting their men home was a well-known fact. When a bomber squadron commander asked why he asked for the "Red Tails," as we were known, to escort his unit, he said, "I want my boys to get home." And they did.

The "Red Tails" were so successful, in fact, that many refused to believe we were African American. In over 15,000 combat missions, 66 Tuskegee Airmen died in combat; 32 became POWs. They also earned hundreds of awards including 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 8 Purple Hearts, and 14 Bronze Stars. The Tuskegee Airmen did not return to a hero's welcome, though. Pilot Joe Gomer said, "We didn't come back as combat veterans, we came back as second-class citizens. German POWs were treated better." We were often denied basic privileges given to other officers, such as the right to go to an Officer's Club. But our record of bravery in adverse conditions played a major role in ending segregation and bringing about social change in America.

Like you, I am pleased that America has put segregation and other forms of racial discrimination behind us. But I am bothered that so few young people understand World War II history, including the unique contribution of the Tuskegee Airmen. It's important for our young people to not only know where our country is going, but also where it's been. And, in the case of the Tuskegee Airmen, their hope of being allowed to fly and fight for their country, their goal of training to be the best fighter pilots while overcoming unbelievable odds, and their example still ring true today.

I am often asked why the Tuskegee Airmen were so successful in combat. I would say it was because of our courage and perseverance. We dreamed of being pilots as boys but were told it was not possible. Through faith and determination we overcame enormous obstacles. This is a lesson that all young people need to hear.

I am most proud of my work as a Tuskegee Airman that helped bring down racial barriers and defeat the Nazis. I hope you agree that the Tuskegee Airmen deserve special recognition.

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Alumni news essay: remembering tuskegee airman gen. charles mcgee.

When I was a high school senior almost 40 years ago, the English teacher assigned us to choose a hero, read a book, and write an essay explaining why. I chose Jackie Robinson for reasons I don’t remember exactly and didn’t understand deeply. I recognized that was an atypical choice for a Jewish girl growing up in predominantly white suburban New Jersey, but preferred reading sports books since my elementary school days. Perhaps it was related to my experience as an 8-year-old breaking the gender-barrier to play in the local baseball and basketball leagues, along with my older sister, when the new Title IX law made that possible. Perhaps it was related to my friendship through pick-up basketball with a Black family in my hometown from nearby Newark — where my parents were married, my father went to college, my paternal relatives are buried, and my paternal cousins grew up and participated actively in the Civil Rights Movement. Perhaps it was my budding Jewish identity and social justice values, knowing family friends who were Holocaust survivors.

Three years ago I went to an education festival at the National Air and Space Museum near my house in multicultural suburban Virginia, even though I have no particular interest in aviation. I noticed an elderly gentleman sitting alone at a bookselling/signing table with his biography, along with a pencil and paper to keep track of sales. Then I saw a sign identifying him and paused in amazement, as if I had seen the burning bush: Tuskegee Airman, born Dec. 7, 1919. I walked over and said casually, “I see you’re gonna have a big birthday next year.” He smiled gently and replied humbly, “God willing and if the creek don’t rise.” Charles McGee had a very big 100th birthday indeed — which included a belated promotion to general, a moment of national honor at the State of the Union, another such moment at the Super Bowl coin toss, and piloting a plane — as he had done when he turned 99, and as he had done 409 times as a fighter pilot in Europe during World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.

That’s how I made acquaintance with my new hero, to add to a handful of Holocaust survivors I knew, who rebuilt rich lives in America and contributed their stories, values, and energies to serve the Jewish community and others. He opened my eyes to see American history through a longer and finer lens of social progress at a personal level. During the years of serving in an experimental segregated unit in WWII, shortly before Jackie Robinson broke the color line in baseball, the Tuskegee Airmen disproved the myth of racial inferiority and defended both American and Jewish lives. In so doing they built the strongest case for the subsequent integration of the military and amplified the moral imperative to deliver on the promise of equality across society.

Regretfully, I hesitated and didn’t buy his book that day. However, I Googled him soon afterward and started to learn his story, and grew to understand and admire the incredible feats of the Tuskegee Airmen as pioneers. Thankfully, I didn’t hesitate when his inspiration gave me the idea to invite him as the special guest of honor for a Black History Month speaker event that I led at work last year. Amazingly, he accepted my invitation and joined via Zoom together with his daughters, and honored us all with his presence. Belatedly, I did read and relish his biography, written by Charlene McGee Smith — his eldest daughter and namesake — who spoke beautifully on his behalf.

Why did he choose to come for my modest occasion? After a highly decorated 30-year career in the U.S. Air Force, he never retired and continued to serve our country as a founder, leader, and ambassador of the Tuskegee Airmen’s national association. He believed deeply in the bedrock values of education and equal opportunity, and enjoyed making his priceless contributions to encourage the next generations.

I know he also came to listen to the guest speaker: Joylette Goble Hylick, eldest daughter of Katherine Johnson — the  Hidden Figures  hero and NASA research mathematician, who died one year prior at the age of 101 after a brilliantly well-lived life. I never met Mrs. Johnson but feel as if I did from reading her memoir, watching interviews, visiting museum exhibits near her homes in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and Hampton, Virginia, and interacting with Joylette to share her mother’s uplifting legacy with others.

Charlene spoke honestly and compellingly about the current racial reckoning, saying: “You have to know Mrs. Johnson’s story, and you have to know Gen. McGee’s story. You have to understand there is greatness in the history of African Americans in this country.” In response, I could only say: Amen.

The memorial tributes to Gen. McGee have been tremendous, including heartfelt Twitter messages by the secretary of defense Lloyd Austin and the chief of the U.S. Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, both African American. Vice President Kamala Harris did likewise and attached the video of her call for his 102nd birthday, saying: “I can’t thank you enough, and on behalf of the president and myself and our nation, I just want to thank you for all that you have done, and you know, telling your story is about telling the story of our nation.”

I am but an ordinary citizen with a wee small voice, who plays a barely-speaking bit part, as one of the many among We the People, who have been trying for centuries to form a more perfect union. Soon after the event, Charlene sent the nicest thank-you note I will ever receive, affirming her belief that such humanizing encounters matter. Gen. McGee and his younger daughter Yvonne called me kindly as well. (I remember telling him that I woke up early that morning feeling my nerves, and calmed down a bit when I thought of him, since no one was shooting at me.) I continue to play my bit part in my corner of the country, and try to follow in Gen. McGee’s and Mrs. Johnson’s giant footsteps in very small but meaningful ways. They taught and encouraged me to “pay it forward” for racial justice, by using their epic stories and my own educational privilege to reach out and teach others.

I knew to invite Gen. McGee because I perceived intuitively that he was like Ann, who never retired from telling her story to young generations. On display near her kitchen table was an oversized photo of the Jewish high school class that invited her to speak. Together with her son and primary caregiver Jay, she looked beautiful and vibrant in her late 80s, even as she lived with pancreatic cancer.

We are all part of each other’s stories in The American Story. May we choose our heroes wisely, and be so incredibly fortunate and blessed to know them.

Epilogue: B’Zchut (On the Merit)

Joylette texted me a few minutes after the Black History Month event saying, “Great program.” (Wow, coming from Mrs. Johnson’s daughter, that means something.) I texted back that her words were soulful. The most heart-warming moment, in my eyes, was her response when I asked during the Q&A what the Tuskegee Airmen mean to her, as a member of her fine family:

“Those men were on a mission, they did their job, and we got the best of the best… The fact (is) that during World War II they had to beg to be involved… I just adore them. Every time I see something about them, I’m so happy. I was with Mom when she was honored with one of them a few years ago in Virginia. So, my hat’s off to Gen. McGee, and I’m so happy to share the day with him.”

That expressed my sentiments exactly. Listening to the event recording a year later, a few days after attending the public viewing in Washington, D.C., and watching the memorial service at his church via livestream, I sat back and tried to imagine how it felt for him to hear that genuine gift of words, as he sat at home with his daughters listening silently. Connecting their families with Joylette’s voice was the best expression of gratitude I could give him. Yvonne sent me a sweet email that I still treasure: “Thank you for saluting Dad. He was able to listen and really enjoyed, just sorry he wasn’t up to being on camera (still in PJs) or answering questions.” Together we fulfilled the fourth commandment of  lich’vod horim  — honoring parents. I like the image that he was able to come comfortably, without his formal uniform and impressive medals, and enjoy a  heimish  style of celebration.

It was a sacred moment, beyond words, when I saw him for the last time. After giving my condolences and hugs to Charlene and Ron, his son, I paused beside his casket and turned to him  panim-el-panim  — face-to-face. I looked at his endearing gentlemanly face and distinctive features, with eyes closed and lips sealed. I looked at his hands holding a folded American flag, and his chest wearing the distinguished traditional red jacket of the Tuskegee Airmen as proud Red Tails. I felt the silence of his presence — after all the historic sights he saw, kind words he spoke, and acts of bravery and human decency he did in his tremendously full lifetime of giving. The echo of his voice and his  dugma ishit  — personal example — are inside me now to give back. The seemingly mystical seeds of inspiration that he sprinkled toward me at that first encounter three years ago have since grown into blooms with roots.

I told Charlene and Ron that their Dad reminded me of another general, Yitzchak Rabin, whose public viewing I attended after his tragic assassination in 1995, when I was living and working in Jerusalem on Israeli-Palestinian cooperation projects. What I have begun to do to contribute to the racial reckoning  b’govah eynayim  — at eye-level (literally, the height of eyes, implying a sense of equality) — I do because of Gen. McGee. I do it  b’zchuto  — literally, on his merit, better translated as thanks to the privilege of knowing what I know because of him.

Debby Greenberg ’87 has worked in software consulting for federal/state/local governments, and learned how to lead her first Black History Month event by working in Jerusalem on Israeli-Palestinian cooperation projects. She lives in a diverse and inclusive community in Herndon, Virginia.

Home — Essay Samples — Government & Politics — Tuskegee Airmen — Tuskegee Airmen And Discrimination Of African Americans During World War II

Tuskegee Airmen and Discrimination of African Americans During World War Ii

• Categories: African American History Tuskegee Airmen United States Army

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Published: May 14, 2021

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Tuskegee Airman Essay Contest

Calling all students 4th through 12th grade! Submit your essay for the CAF Red Tail Squadron’s annual contest saluting the Tuskegee Airmen! Deadline is March 15, 2021.

Using the Six Guiding Principles (Aim High, Believe in Yourself, Use Your Brain, Be Ready to Go, Never Quit, Expect to Win) describe how the Tuskegee Airmen achieved success, or choose a goal for yourself and show how you could use the Six Guiding Principles to achieve that goal.

Entries will be judged on overall content, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Each entry must be an original composition written by the student.

The Essay Contest is open to students in the 4th – 12th grade in an accredited school or home school program during the academic year.

Entries must adhere to the following word count guidelines:

4th – 5th grades 250 words 6th – 8th grades 350 words 9th – 12th grades 500 words Footnotes, citations, endnotes, and essay titles will not be counted as part of the word count allotment.

Entries must be typed. Each page of the essay must include the author’s name, name of school or home school program, address and telephone number in the upper right hand corner of each page. This information will not be counted as part of the word count allotment.

Entries become property of the CAF Red Tail Squadron and will not be returned.

Winners will be requested to send their photograph to be featured along with their essay on the CAF Red Tail Squadron website and newsletter.

Entries must be emailed prior to 5:00pm on or before March 15, 2021. Email your entry to: [email protected]

Essay contest winners will be announced on March 30, 2021.

Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each grade category as follows:

1st place: An autographed print of “Tuskegee Tales” 2nd place: A RISE ABOVE hat 3rd place: A 99th Squadron Tuskegee Airmen patch

'They still live in us': Legacy carries on as Tuskegee Airmen honored in San Antonio

The last surviving Tuskegee Airman died last year, but the legacy of the storied squadron lives on. 

Modern-day historians preserve the history of the Black airmen who served in World War II. Their children and close family members carry their stories of heroism. Because of their sacrifice, aspiring pilots have a chance to learn to fly.

At Stinson Municipal Airport, in the cool shade of Hangar 4, more than 30 guests recently celebrated Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day.

Dolly Adams-Willis paid close attention as dignitaries and community leaders spoke of the squadron’s achievements during World War II. She is proud of being the stepdaughter of James L. Bynum, a Tuskegee Airman.

A FATEFUL DAY: White bomber crew makes emergency landing, discovers unknown Tuskegee Airmen

Bynum, a retired Air Force senior master sergeant, was one of 24 San Antonians who served. They were members of the San Antonio Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen Inc., whose mission was to preserve the history of the Black aviators.

Adams-Willis witnessed Bynum share his story many times with students across the city. With her mother, Dorothy, always by his side, he said it was an honor to be one of 14,000 men and women who became America’s first African American military airmen. They trained as pilots, instructors and mechanics.

Bynum was one of two remaining Tuskegee Airmen in San Antonio. He died May 4, 2022, at the age of 101. Dr. Eugene Derricotte, the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen, died March 31, 2023. He was 96.

“This is wonderful,” Adams-Willis said. “He was very proud to be a Tuskegee Airman. He would have been right here.”

Jesus Saenz, airport director, read the city’s decree that March was a special month for the group. It was the month when the first combat unit, the 99th Pursuit Squadron, was activated. Also in March, the first cadets received their wings, and, in 2007, President George W. Bush presented the Congressional Gold Medal to the Tuskegee Airmen.

During World War II, the Black press pushed the government to offer all Americans an opportunity to fight in the Allied air campaign. Tuskegee, the only training site, became the segregated squadron’s namesake. 

The military pilot squadron flew more than 1,200 missions. They flew P-51 Mustangs, called the “Red Tails,” because of the planes’  tails. They protected Allied bombers from German fighters as they escorted them on long-range missions over Europe. 

ALSO READ: Community honors San Antonio Tuskegee Airman’s 100th birthday with parade

San Antonio native Mariana Lozano attended the ceremony with her mother, Maricela Lozano, to show gratitude for being a beneficiary of the group’s legacy. She was one of nine high school students selected nationwide to receive a $36,000 pilot school scholarship from the Tuskegee NEXT Foundation in Chicago.

Last summer, the East Central High School graduate attended the eight-week Tuskegee NEXT Summer Flight Program. Lozano flew mornings, Monday through Friday, with an instructor and classmate across the Illinois skies. During class time, from 1 to 4 p.m., she studied the FAA handbook, weather patterns and in-flight procedures.

Standing on the Stinson tarmac, she said the training seemed surreal, but her dream became real when she earned her private pilot’s license.

“I don’t think I can recreate the feeling I had after they told me the news,” said Lozano, who attends Texas A&M University-San Antonio.

Eric Warner, special projects manager at the San Antonio International Airport, was instrumental in helping Lozano. He also offers youngsters access to the aviation industry, allowing them to sit in the pilot’s seat of a mobile flight simulator he brings to neighborhoods around San Antonio.

“They still live in us, and we’re attempting to keep that legacy alive in San Antonio,” Warner said. “African American men and women were fathers and mothers of this movement. Going forward, it’s about all of us, not just African Americans. If you believe in the Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy, you’re free to join us.” 

Jairo Vargas, a 2022 summer flight graduate, and Johnny Jackson from the Tuskegee Next Foundation attended the ceremony. Jackson said getting permission from surviving Tuskegee Airmen to use the name was an honor.

“They did such monumental things,” Jackson said. “To see that this is happening and we can be a part of it is an honor.”

He said knowing the foundation impacts young people’s lives is rewarding. Jackson said when the teens arrive, they’re nervous but gain confidence during training and earn their wings.

“They’re like, ‘I’ve soloed and flew across the country,’ ” he said. “As they are smiling and crying, you want to smile and cry.”

Henry Perez, from the Commemorative Air Force, talked to guests outside of Hangar 4, also known as the Tex Hill Wing CAF Education Center. On the flight line, he showed a restored Beechcraft T-34 Mentor to Rick Sinkfield, president of the San Antonio chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. 

Perez watched as the president looked over the cockpit after he climbed on the wing of the primary trainer for the United States Air Force in the 1950s and 1960s

 “We love to fly,” Perez said, “and honor our veterans.”

Sinkfield had a chance to meet many of the San Antonio airmen before they passed. He said the men had many lessons about navigating life, wisdom that meant a lot for him and many others. Sinkfield said in combat, the aviators were smart flyers that made them “great military men” who took up prestigious careers after the war. 

“It definitely puts an asterisk to the idea that African Americans couldn’t fly, a problem at the time,” he said. “They filled the gap of pilots when there was a shortage of pilots during World War II.” 

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• September 12, 2019

Calling all students 4th through 12th grade! Submit your essay for the CAF Rise Above Squadron’s essay contest saluting the Tuskegee Airmen Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)!

Deadline is February 6, 2023

Using the  Six Guiding Principles  (Aim High, Believe in Yourself, Use Your Brain, Be Ready to Go, Never Quit, Expect to Win) describe how the Tuskegee Airmen or the WASP achieved success, or choose a goal for yourself and show how you could use the Six Guiding Principles to achieve that goal.

Entries will be judged on overall content, including spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Each entry must be an original composition written by the student.

The Essay Contest is open to students in the 4th – 12th grade in an accredited school or home school program during the academic year.

Entries must adhere to the following word count guidelines:

• 4th – 5th grades 250 words
• 6th – 8th grades 350 words
• 9th – 12th grades 500 words

Footnotes, citations, endnotes, and essay titles will not be counted as part of the word count allotment.

Entries must be typed. Each page of the essay must include the author’s name, grade level, name of school or home school program, address and telephone number in the upper right-hand corner of each page. This information will not be counted as part of the word count allotment.

Entries become property of the CAF Rise Above Squadron and will not be returned.

Winners will be requested to send their photograph to be featured along with their essay on the CAF Rise Above Squadron website, Facebook page and newsletter.

Entries must be emailed prior to 5:00pm on or before February 6, 2023. Email your entry to:  [email protected]

Essay contest winners will be announced on March 15, 2023.

Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place winners in each grade category as follows:

Choice of a MA-1 Flight jacket

Mustang model kit

P-51C “Tuskegee Airmen”

Choice of an aviator pin

Tuskegee Airman

All entries will receive a Rise Above dog tag and Triumph Over Adversity booklet.

Gloria W. Heath

Gloria Whitton Heath May 7, 1922 – December 16, 2017 Class: 44-W-5 Training Location: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.) Assigned Bases: Freeman Army Air Field (Seymour, Ind.), Pocatello Army Air Base (Idaho), and Dalhart Army Air

David Showell

David Anthony Showell October 14, 1921-December 23, 1955 Unit: 617th Bombardment Squadron of the 477th Bombardment Group David Showell, one of seven children, was born on October 14, 1924. He spent his childhood at 816 Madison Ave.

Lois L. Nash

Lois L. Nash April 12, 1921- April 24, 2011 Class: 43-W-8 Training Location: Avenger Field (Sweetwater, Tex.) Assigned Bases: Hondo Army Air Field (Tex.), Dodge City Army Air Base (Kan.), Pueblo Army Air Base (Colo.)

William M. Cousins

William M. Cousins July 21, 1923 – May 15, 2014 Class: 44-H-SE Graduation date: September 8, 1944 Service # 0838027 Cousins was born on July 21, 1923, to Ruth and Samuel Cousins in Goochland, VA.

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Skyward Heroes: the Lasting Legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen

This essay about the enduring impact of the Tuskegee Airmen highlights their remarkable resilience and contribution to history. It explores how these courageous African American pilots defied racial prejudice during World War II, not only excelling in combat but also catalyzing significant societal change. Through their bravery and perseverance, the Tuskegee Airmen shattered racial barriers, paving the way for desegregation in the military and inspiring the civil rights movement. Their story serves as a beacon of hope and a testament to the power of courage and determination in the face of adversity.

How it works

In the annals of history, certain stories shine brighter than others, illuminating the path of progress and resilience. Among these tales stands the remarkable saga of the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American pilots who soared above adversity to become legends in their own right. Their journey, fraught with challenges and triumphs, continues to inspire generations and shape the course of history.

Born amidst the turbulence of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen defied the prevailing prejudices of their time.

Tasked with a dual mission of fighting fascism abroad and discrimination at home, these brave aviators rose to the occasion with unwavering courage and determination. Through rigorous training and sheer perseverance, they shattered racial barriers, proving themselves as skilled and capable pilots.

Their valor was not confined to the skies alone. Beyond their exploits in combat, the Tuskegee Airmen left an indelible mark on American society, sparking a pivotal shift in attitudes towards race and equality. Their achievements paved the way for desegregation in the military and laid the groundwork for the civil rights movement that would follow in the decades to come.

The legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen extends far beyond their wartime service. It serves as a testament to the power of resilience and the triumph of the human spirit in the face of adversity. Their story reminds us that greatness knows no bounds, transcending race, gender, and background. It stands as a beacon of hope and inspiration, urging us to reach for the skies and strive for excellence in all endeavors.

As we reflect on the enduring impact of the Tuskegee Airmen, we are reminded of the importance of diversity and inclusion in our society. Their bravery and sacrifice serve as a poignant reminder of the injustices of the past and the progress we have made towards a more equitable future. Yet, their legacy also challenges us to continue the fight for equality and justice for all.

In conclusion, the story of the Tuskegee Airmen is not merely a chapter in history but a living testament to the resilience of the human spirit. Their courage, determination, and sacrifice continue to inspire us to reach for new heights and strive for a better tomorrow. As we honor their memory, let us also pledge to uphold their legacy by working towards a world where all individuals are judged not by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

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The Tuskegee Airmen Streaming: Watch & Stream Online via HBO Max

By kritikalamba

The Tuskegee Airmen is a 1995 HBO television movie. It dramatizes the real-life experiences of the first African-American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Corps known as the Tuskegee Airmen, during World War II. Despite facing racial discrimination and institutionalized prejudice, they strive to prove themselves in combat and ultimately serve their country with distinction and bravery.

Here’s how you can watch and stream The Tuskegee Airmen via streaming services such as HBO Max.

Is The Tuskegee Airmen available to watch via streaming?

Yes, The Tuskegee Airmen is available to watch via streaming on HBO Max .

The film honors the real-life heroes it portrays. The film follows Hannibal Lee, and other cadets like Billy Roberts as they undergo rigorous training at Tuskegee, Alabama. Facing segregation and skepticism, they train under immense pressure, determined to prove their skills and bravery in the skies over Europe. Can they overcome the odds and earn their rightful place in history?

Laurence Fishburne takes the lead role of Hannibal Lee, a pilot determined to overcome racial prejudice and excel in the fight for his country. Alongside him are actors like Cuba Gooding Jr. as Billy “A-Train” Roberts, portraying the camaraderie and determination of the pilot trainees. The cast is filled with seasoned actors like Courtney B. Vance and the late Andre Braugher .

Watch The Tuskegee Airmen streaming via HBO Max

The Tuskegee Airmen is available to watch on HBO Max.

HBO Max is a premium streaming service offering a collection of movies, TV shows, documentaries, and exclusive HBO Originals like Game of Thrones, House of Dragon, and Succession. Additionally, HBO Max provides offline downloads, multiple user profiles, and compatibility with various devices for a seamless viewing experience.

You can watch via Max, formerly known as HBO Max, by following these steps:

• Go to HBOMax.com/subscribe
• Click ‘Sign Up Now’
• $9.99 per month or $99.99 per year (with ads)
• $15.99 per month or $149.99 per year (ad-free)
• $19.99 per month or $199.99 per year (ultimate ad-free)
• Enter your personal information and password
• Select ‘Create Account’

Max With Ads provides the service’s streaming library at a Full HD resolution, allowing users to stream on up to two supported devices at once. Max Ad-Free removes the service’s commercials and allows streaming on two devices at once in Full HD. It also allows for 30 downloads at a time to allow users to watch content offline. On the other hand, Max Ultimate Ad-Free allows users to stream on four devices at once in a 4K Ultra HD resolution and provides Dolby Atmos audio and 100 downloads.

The Tuskegee Airmen’s official synopsis is as follows:

“During the Second World War, a special project is begun by the US Army Air Corps to integrate African American pilots into the Fighter Pilot Program. Known as the “Tuskegee Airman” for the name of the airbase at which they were trained, these men were forced to constantly endure harassement, prejudice, and much behind the scenes politics until at last they were able to prove themselves in combat.”

NOTE: The streaming services listed above are subject to change. The information provided was correct at the time of writing.

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Calendar of Events

National Archives Comes Alive! Young Learners Program: Meet Tuskegee Airmen

National archives museum online.

Come learn about the first African American flying unit in the U.S. military, responsible for protecting U.S. bomber planes from German fighter planes during World War II. Educator and reenactor John McCaskill will bring to life the experiences and legacy of the airman of the World War II era.

All events listed in the calendar are free unless noted.