The Tuskegee Airmen were the first black aviators in the Army air corps. They were trained in Tuskegee, Alabama at the Tuskegee Institute. The Tuskegee Airmen had many firsts including the ground-breaking status of African-American combat aviator, but also served a variety of rolls including navigators, bombardiers, technicians, and leadership positions. The airmen were trained for combat missions in the western theater of WWII. Trained primarily in the cockpits of the legendary P-51 Mustang, the Tuskegee Airmen were tasked with dangerous bomber escort missions and later transitioned into independent fighter squadrons designed to attack the enemy head on. They painted the tail of their aircrafts red which created a distinct and recognizable color in the heat of battle. This was also the reason for the nickname “Redtails” which has since been associated with the Tuskegee Airmen. They excelled in every area of combat aviation and disproved many racist stereotypes that African Americans could be successful in the air corps.
Funding for Phase I of this exhibition provided by Oklahoma Humanities, The Ed Darby Foundation, Allen and Barbara Smallwood and The Bernard and Marcy Robinowitz Family Fund
