Page 12 - Black History Month 2021 - Combined Special Edition of Aerotech News and Review Nellis AFB Creech AFB Desert Lightning News

Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site

The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, at Moton Field in Tuskegee Airmen included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, main- of charge to the public.
Tuskegee, Ala., commemorates the contributions of African Ameri- tenance and support staff, instructors, and all the personnel who An oral history project, consisting of interviews of hundreds of
can airmen in World War II. kept the planes in the air. people involved in the Tuskegee Experience, was completed in 2005
Before 1940, African Americans were barred from flying for the The military selected Tuskegee Institute to train pilots because of and will eventually be available to the public.
U.S. military. Civil rights organizations and the black press exerted its commitment to aeronautical training. Tuskegee had the facilities, For more information, visit https://www.nps.gov/tuai
pressure that resulted in the formation of an all African-American and engineering and technical instructors, as well as a climate for Photograph by
pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, in 1941. They became known year-round flying. The first Civilian Pilot Training Program students Gary Moore
as the Tuskegee Airmen. completed their instruction in May 1940. The Tuskegee program There are
Moton Field was the site of primary flight training for the pio- was then expanded and became the center for African-American displays
neering pilots known as the Tuskegee Airmen, and is now operated aviation during World War II. at various
by the National Park Service to interpret their history and achieve- points
ments. It was constructed in 1941 as a new training base. The field Established on Nov. 6, 1998, the National Historic Site was around the
was named after former Tuskegee Institute principal Robert Russa placed on the National Register of Historic Places the same day. The site that
Moton, who died the previous year. site has a temporary visitor center. Hangar One has been restored tell the
Before 1940, African Americans were barred from flying for the story of the
U.S. military. Civil rights organizations and the Black press exerted and the grand opening of the site was Oct. 10, 2008. The Hangar Tuskegee
Airmen.
pressure that resulted in the formation of an all African-American One Museum is open for tours Wednesday-Sunday. Tours are free
pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, in 1941. They became known
as the Tuskegee Airmen.”
Tuskegee Airmen” refers to all who were involved in the so-
called “Tuskegee Experiment,” the Army Air Corps program to
train African Americans to fly and maintain combat aircraft. The

Photograph by Gary Moore Photograph courtesy of the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
Hangar One at the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site has A P-51 Mustang is on display at the Tuskegee Airmen National Photograph courtesy of the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
been restored. Historic Site. Included in the museum displays is a ‘sortie scoreboard.’

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