Introduction

Students have read about African Americans and other minorities who served in segregated units during World War II. In this exercise, students will read about the Tuskegee Airmen—African American fighter pilots who opened the doors for African American aviation and influenced the U.S. military's decision to integrate.

Lesson Description

Students will use information from the Legends of Tuskegee Web site to learn about the first African American fighter pilot squadron—the Tuskegee Airmen. Students will read about the "Tuskegee Experiment," the pilots' training, the group's influence on military segregation, and the accomplishments of individual airmen. Students will then answer four questions and apply this information by assuming the role of a 1940s reporter and writing an editorial in support of military integration.

Instructional Objectives

1. Students will identify the contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen to the war effort during World War II and explain the role they played in the military's decision to integrate in 1948.
2. Students will use this information to assume the role of a 1940s reporter and write an editorial in support of military integration.

Student Activity Answers

1. Under pressure by civil rights groups and black journalists, the United States initiated a program to train African Americans to fly for the military. Their primary flight training was based at Tuskegee Institute, and advanced training was based at the segregated Tuskegee Army Air Field. In May 1940, Tuskegee graduated the first class of pilots, and by the close of 1945, over 1,000 African American aviators were ready for service.
2. Students completed ground school courses that included meteorology, navigation, and instruments. After ground school they were transferred to Tuskegee Army Air Field to complete pilot training.
3. The climate of prejudice denied African Americans access to roles traditionally available only to whites. The Tuskegee Airmen, the first group of African American fighter pilots, proved that race had no bearing on one's military performance. The Tuskegee Airmen flew successful combat missions over Sicily, the Mediterranean, and North Africa. They destroyed over 260 enemy aircraft, sank one enemy destroyer, and destroyed numerous enemy installations. They earned the respect of fellow bomber crews and military leaders, and the squadrons were awarded many of the service's distinctive honors.
4. Three pilots are profiled at this site. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., a graduate of West Point Military Academy, was one of the first 5 graduates to earn his wings at Tuskegee Army Air Field. As a Tuskegee Airman, he became a squadron commander of the 332nd—a unit awarded the Distinguished Unit Citation. Robert Marshall Glass joined the 332nd as a mechanical engineer and an accomplished pilot. He flew many missions in both World War II and the Korean War, and he was awarded several honors. Charles "Chief" Anderson was an instructor at Tuskegee and a pioneer in African American aviation. He and Dr. Albert E. Forsythe were the first African Americans to fly a transcontinental roundtrip. Anderson supervised primary flight training for the pilots at Moton Field.
5. Students' editorials will vary.

Go to Student Web Activity