Tuskegee Airmen Paintings by Stan Stokes.     All images copyrighted © 2006-2008.

Bessie Coleman, the first black to earn and receive a pilot’s license. In 1921, Bessie went to France where she learned to fly and received a French pilot’s license that the US had to honor when she returned. Her aviation career ended tragically in 1926 She died while riding in the passenger seat of her "Jenny" airplane. Her mechanic William Wills was piloting the aircraft when it suddenly dropped into a steep nosedive and then flipped over and catapulted her to her death.

After her death, Bessie Coleman Aero Clubs suddenly sprang up throughout the country. In 1931, a group of black pilots established an annual flyover of Coleman's grave in Lincoln Cemetery in Chicago. Despite her relatively short career, Bessie Coleman strongly challenged early 20th century stereotypes about white supremacy and the inabilities of women. By becoming the first licensed black female pilot, and performing throughout the country, Coleman proved that people did not have to be shackled by their gender or the color of their skin in order to challenge their dreams.

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Bob Williams - 100th Fighter Squadron, Flying P-51D shot down 2 Focke Wulfs. He wrote the screen play that became the HBO movie "The Tuskegee Airmen".

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Charles Bailey - 99th Fighter Squadron, Flying P-40F, was one of the first group of Tuskegee Airmen to go into combat. He scored 2 victories.

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April 19, 1941 - Mrs. Eleanor Roosevelt visited Tuskegee and met Charles "Chief" Anderson, the head of the program, Mrs. Roosevelt asked, "Can Negroes really fly airplanes?" He replied: "Certainly we can; as a matter of fact, would you like to take an airplane ride?" Over the objections of her Secret Service agents, Mrs. Roosevelt accepted. The agent called President Roosevelt, who replied, "Well, if she wants to do it, there's nothing we can do to stop her."

With Mrs. Roosevelt in the back seat of his Piper J-3 Cub, Chief Anderson took off and flew her around for half an hour. Upon landing, Mrs. Roosevelt turned to the Chief and said, "I guess Negroes can fly," and they posed togeher for an historic photo. Not long after Mrs. Roosevelt's return to Washington, it was announced that the first Negro Air Corps pilots would be trained at Tuskegee Institute.

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Eugene Bullard, the first black to become a pilot. He flew with the Lafayette Flying Corps in WWI.

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Mac Ross, one of the first five pilots to get their wings at Tuskegee, AL. He was KIA during the war.

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Roscoe Brown - 100th Fighter Squadron, Scored 2 victories while flying his P-51 "Bunnie". He is one of the surviving Tuskegee Airmen and is frequently seen on documentaries about the group.

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Roscoe Brown flying his P-51, Bunnie, over Italy.

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Rusty Burns sitting in his P-47 Thunderbolt. Rusty was in the 99th Fighter Squadron when they where flying Thunderbolts.

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Erwin Lawrence climbing from his P-51. One of the original pilots with the 99th Fighter Squadron to see combat, he became CO of the 99th. Capt. Lawrence was killed in action on October 4, 1944.

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Clarence "Lucky" Lester standing on his P-51. On a single mission, while flying the P-51, he shot down three German aircraft.

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George "Spanky" Roberts became the second Commanding Officer of the 332nd Fighter Group.

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Pilots of the 99th Fighter Squadron, the first to get into combat. Standing in front of one of their P-40Fs are Herman Lawson, Spann Watson, Robert Deiz, and Charles Dryden.

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Andrew "Jug" Turner and John Briggs - 18X24 - Both flying P-51Cs with the 100th Fighter Squadron, Turner became the CO of the 100th.

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