Introduction
In World War II, the United States military was segregated, and African American service members faced discriminatory limitations in positions. The Army Air Corps was expanded by Public Law 18 in April 1939 and the demand for more pilots lead to the creation of the 99th Pursuit Squadron in 1941. In Tuskegee, Alabama, the U.S. Army Air Corp began a program to train African American servicemembers as Air Corps cadets. Instruction was provided by Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) and the U.S. Army. Flight training was provided primarily at Moton Field. African American pilots (about 1,000 aviators) and civilians in supporting operational roles (more than 15,000 persons) were involved in the efforts. By the end of the war, the Tuskegee Airmen had completed 1,578 combat missions, and the airmen received some of the highest honors in the Army Air Corps. The 99th Fighter Squadron (formerly known as the 99th Pursuit Squadron) would combine with the 100th, 301st and 302nd to form the 332nd Fighter Group. In 1998 Congress established the Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Site. This lesson’s purpose is to connect students to the history of the place and the voices of servicemembers who trained there.
Objectives:
1. Describe the role of Moton Airfield in training the Tuskegee Airmen
2. Identify both the contributions of, and challenges faced by, the Tuskegee Airmen
3. Connect the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen to the integration of the U.S. military and the Civil Rights movement
Source: U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service
