With only three original Tuskegee Airmen remaining, the national nonprofit established by these legendary aviators continues its mission to train the next generation of Black pilots.
According to Stars And Stripes, Tuskegee Airmen Inc. recently honored the work of the original Airmen from Aug. 15 to 17 and committed to the group’s future.
As Jerry Burton, the national president of Tuskegee Airmen Inc., told Stars And Stripes, “There are not a whole lot of African Americans or people of color among the
ranks of pilots. We’re trying to change that. “I recall from my own childhood in the 1970s that many young people did not know those opportunities existed for African Americans. We look to the past for inspiration but keep our focus on future Black aviators.”The now-elderly Airmen faced difficulties getting to the convention, largely because of their ages, but 98-year-old Retired Brig. Gen. Enoch “Woody” Woodhouse II attended alongside approximately 35 teenagers who had previously participated in Tuskegee Airmen Inc. educational programs.
According to Russell Nalle, a former Tuskegee Airman, today’s aviators have more opportunities than he had after his military career concluded.
“I got turned down as a commercial pilot. It was not called or identified as discrimination back then. It was part of the culture at the time,” Nalle said. “But joining the military was different. I learned about the world. I couldn’t have asked for anything better than learning to fly a plane.”
In April, Tuskegee University and the Leadership In Flight
Training Academy (LIFT) launched the first Tuskegee University Flight School, a program that Tuskegee University President Dr. Charlotte P. Morris said is designed to train the next generation of military or commercial pilots.“Tuskegee University is proud to continue a tradition that has contributed so much to the country through the courage and skills provided by the Tuskegee Airmen. A new generation of Tuskegee airmen and women will have the training they will need to serve our country through the military or as
commercial pilots. What pleases me most is the enthusiasm with which we see young students ready to step up today to become such an important part of history. The new partnership with LIFT and Republic will build leaders and legacies.”RELATED CONTENT: Tuskegee Airman Finally To Be Laid To Rest in Charlotte After Disappearing 79 Years Ago