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The Tuskegee Airmen

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The Tuskegee Airmen
Tuskegee Airmen Influence During the years of 1940 through 1946, the first African American pilots, known as the Tuskegee Airmen, served in the United States Air Corps. The Tuskegee airmen played an important role on shaping the racial policy in both the armed forces and the United States (the Tuskegee airmen of WWII). “A time where the law recognized minorities as separate but equal, African Americans were excluded from opportunities and victories were limited due to lack of opportunity. In striving to show their patriotism the Tuskegee Airmen’s victories led not just to the success of African Americans in the Air Force but also political contributions to American Society” (McGee). The Tuskegee Airmen influenced the United States during the 20th Century by proving that African Americans could fly in command, become one of the best fighter groups during WWII, and “lead the civil rights movement which ultimately improved African Americans standing in American society” (McGee).
The Tuskegee airmen are the first African American military pilots to serve during WWII (History of the Tuskegee Airmen). They also had a nickname, “The Red Tail Angels” because they escorted the B-52 bomber planes and painted the propeller and tail of their planes red. The Tuskegee airmen included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, and personnel who kept the planes in the air (Butkus). These men showed great courage and enduring determination in the face of racism within the military. An October 1925 report by the Army War College titled “The Use of Negro Manpower in War” reflected prevailing attitudes. The report concluded that the Negro man was immoral, mentally inferior to whites, profoundly superstitious, had less capacity for learning, and was a coward in darkness” (The Tuskegee Airmen). White officers who were not racist wouldn’t risk their career because of “the advancement of colored people” (The Tuskegee Airmen )As the war continued, The Civilian Pilot Training Act and The Public



Cited: Butkus, Brian. "Tuskegee Airmen." The Official Site of the U.S. Air Force. Airlift Wing Public Affairs, 10 Feb. 12009. Web. 18 Apr. 2012. . Cheesman, Elaine. "TUSKEGEE Airmen." TUSKEGEE Airmen. University of Colorado at Colorado Springs - Freedom 's Song. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . Daniel, Lisa. "United States Department of Defense." Defense.gov News Article: McKinley: America Must Preserve Tuskegee Airmen 's Legacy. American Forces Press Service, 08 Aug. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . Hughes, Anthony, Gary Kmcd, and Kathy Li. IMDb. IMDb.com, 1990-2012. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . Johnson, Ruthanne. "WWII Tuskegee Airmen, Heroes Finally Recognized." Urban Spectrum. Denver Urban Spectrum, 2007. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . Lester, Avis. "The Tuskegee Airmen 's Final Mission." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 21 Aug. 2005. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . McGee, Frank. "Tuskegee Airmen." Tuskegee Airmen. Wintanna, 18 Apr. 2006. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . "The Tuskegee Airmen of WWII." INTRODUCTION. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. . The Tuskegee Airmen. "The Tuskegee Airmen." Olive-Drab.com LLC, 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 12 Apr. 2012. .

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