Where is the tuskegee airmen museum located

But 70 years ago, it was the center of a great experiment. This is where the U. Visitors enter historic Hanger 1 and are greeted by a canary yellow-winged Stearman PT bi-plane, which was where the pilots honed their impressive skills. But these were impressive men to being with. The airmen were selected from an elite group: all had attended college, and they were expected to be commissioned as army officers.

Some indeed went on to notable military careers, including Benjamin O. When the military eventually gave into public pressure from the NAACP to develop a segregated pilot training program, it was considered an experiment. The program started modestly with 13 candidates in July Only five made it through the training. Tuskegee was a logical place to base the Airmen.

Not only was home to a historic Black school, but it had been designated in as one of a few places in the country where African-Americans could be trained as civilian pilots. First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt said she enjoyed her brief excursion over South Alabama, and with that endorsement the program began to grow.

Eventually Army Air Corps pilots were trained here and the adjacent Tuskegee Army Airfield, but the Airmen title has come to include the 17, support personnel including mechanics, cooks, electricians and instructors who were also part of the endeavor. The pilots indeed saw great success, shooting down dozen of enemy aircraft.

Their squadrons built an excellent reputation as escorts, never losing a bomber. But the Airmen were not invincible — 66 died in combat or accidents. Perhaps part of their success can be traced to their training. The competition for pilot posts was grueling and hundreds of otherwise able candidates flunked out after the initial nine-week training because only a few slots were reserved for pilots. The Airmen museum, located in one of the original hangers, sends visitors back to the s, with leather bomber jackets on coat stands and Life magazines sitting on desks.

Make sure to dart outside to poke into the tea room. Unlike the rest of Alabama, this small cafe was integrated , allowing white and Black personnel to share a hamburger and Coke between training flights. Other exhibits include a military briefing room where the pilot candidates learned about the German army, studying their aircraft, ships and uniforms. In an interactive area, guests can try their hand at folding a parachute, another crucial part of the military operation.

That action helped lead President Harry S Truman to issue an order in officially desegregating the military. The busy college campus is why the training came to Alabama. And in a larger sense, it also paved the way for the Airmen. Tuskegee was an independent institution that had proven that Blacks could thrive in an educational setting if given a chance.

It was built and staffed by students, and had electricity and indoor plumbing before many homes in Alabama. A campus tour includes a visit to the chapel and an impressive stained-glass window inspired by Negro spirituals. It also passes the graves of Washington and Carver.

The legacy of the Airmen is still very much a part of the University. It is the only historically Black college to offer a degree in aerospace science engineering.

The story behind the exhibit is horrifying: Put simply, for decades medical workers withheld treatment from Black men with a disease, just to track how the illness raved their bodies. After the men died, their bodies were dissected to further document the damage. The government also created a fund to compensate the victims and their families. Located on the second floor, the exhibit focuses on the 40 year study of tracking untreated syphilis in approximately Black men, from Hangar 2 museum at Moton Field is currently closed until further notice.

Visitors can still tour the grounds at their own pace if they adhere to proper safety practices. To schedule tours for groups of 10 or more, call us at one to two weeks in advance to make reservations. If your group has special needs, contact the site four weeks in advance of your planned tour date.

Call us f or parking information and directions by car or plane. Moton Field was the only primary facility for African-American pilot candidates in the U. The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site is located at an active airport , so fly on in and visit us! See Details. March 7 th is Tuskegee Airmen Day. Request a Call Back. This is a placeholder for the Yext Knolwedge Tags. This message will not appear on the live site, but only within the editor.

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