Today’s TFAM focuses on Tuskegee Airmen in their own words talking about their experiences and the national organization of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.Judge Earl E. Srayhorn, John Whitehead, Felix Kirkpatrick, Percy Sutton, and Mitch Higginbotham.
Before you rush off to read !TFAM, here’s something noteworthy, sent in by a teacher, TAI member, and !TFAM reader. Imani thank you for these two news items. I appreciate you.
Imani, I don’t know if I have your permission to use your full name so, I’m using your first name only just in case I don’t. Two news items to note:
Urban Education: Kansas City’s Central High School and the Enduring Legacy of Racism by Dr. Brad Poos is an institutional history exploring the intersection of race, policy, and education from 1867 to 2024. The book analyzes Central High School’s transformation from a premier white school to a school facing closure.
Central High School transformed from a premier White school to an all-Black institution, examining racism’s impact on urban education. This book chronicles how Central High School transformed from a premier White school to an all-Black institution, examining racism’s impact on urban education.
Missouri Republicans passed a 2025 mid-decade redistricting plan specifically targeting Rep. Emanuel Cleaver’s 5th District to flip it from a safe Democratic seat to a Republican-leaning one. The proposed new map divides Cleaver’s old district three waysKansas City, potentially stretching Cleaver’s district from its urban base in Jackson County into conservative-leaning rural areas like Boone County. Cleaver was elected the first Black mayor of Kansas City.
Emanuel Cleaver II has served as the U.S. Representative for Missouri’s 5th congressional district since January 3, 2005. As of May 2026, he is in his eleventh term, having served for over 21 years. This is the home district of President Harry Truman.
Today’s edition will focus on Tuskegee Airmen in their own words Notable excerpts from interviews with
Original Tuskegee Airmen in “Molding a Black Legacy”
Born in Columbus Mississippi in 1918, Judge Earl E. Strayhorn has been a resident of Chicago since 1924.
He graduated from the University of Illinois with a B.A. degree and from De Paul University College of Law with a J.D. degree.
A prominent judge in the criminal justice system of Cook County, Illinois for many years. Judge Strayhorn has attracted national recognition as a distinguished jurist, lecturer, and teacher of trial advocacy in major law schools throughout the United States.
As an enlisted man, Judge Strayhorn was cadred in November of 1941 to Tuskegee Army Airfield where he assisted in the establishment of the base military police station as Sargent-In-Charge.
He was commissioned as 2nd Lt., Artillery in June 1942 and served in combat with the all-black 92nd Division, Italy.
After post-WWII service with the Illinois National Guard, he retired with the rank of Lt. Colonel.
When asked about the Tuskegee experience and the organization Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., Judge Earl E. Strayhorn had a lot to say including the following…
I am not sure that any of us grasped the true historical significance of our being at Tuskegee during that period. We were aware, courageous, and competitive black men who were determined to succeed despite formidable barriers and obstacles. We all recognized that we were under close scrutiny. Because of that awareness we refused to allow ourselves to be anything less than the best we could possibly be.
That was the inner drive that existed in us, but not an awareness of the historical significance of our experiences as it proved to be many years later.
The impact of the Tuskegee experience on civil rights was, of course, great. But first you must understand that this experiment was designed to fail by those who put it in place. It was designed also to take political
pressure off the Democratic Party in 1940. The fact that it did not fail is the tribute to all those men and women who worked and persevered against great odds.”
“As guinea pigs, we realized that the command structure would not give us any edge or support. Whatever success we attained was accomplished because we were not going to be responsible for failure.”
“It was after thorough review of black press coverage that black people back home started to feel proud of the achievements of their men and women in combat. Most certainly, this had great impact upon the civil rights movement after the war because this was something tangible that had been done and could be pointed to.”
“The civil rights activist could stand up and say: ‘See what black people can do if they’re given the opportunity.’ Our impact was like a light in the dark, it could not be denied; it could not be negated. Opponents of civil rights could in no way minimize those achievements. It was the bedrock foundation on
which the rest of the civil rights movement was built. It was real and it had happened.”
…
Black people and other minorities would have missed the National Organization of Tuskegee Airmen if it had never come into existence because without our organization this rich background of ours would have been obliterated. There would have been no one on the scene who would have been willing to tell the true story. Our history has to be told by those who know it and lived it. We must record it because traditional white historians choose to neglect or forget the true facts about the significant contributions of blacks. We are going to have to make them tell the truth by writing this history ourselves and then letting it stand on its own – and it will.
…
TAI’s mission from my vantage point is to tell the story of what happened back in those days without it being sugar-coated. Make both black people and white people aware.
Our secondary mission is:
To motivate young black Americans after we’ve told the story by making them feel that they can also overcome any obstacle if they prepare themselves through education. We must stress that with education comes the power of fulfillment.
| John L. Whitehead, Jr. An excerpt from the Whitehead interview. |
“The Tuskegee experiment proved to the nation that Blacks were not inferior to Whites that they could and would excel in any task if given the chance. The combat record of the 99th and 332nd was the dominant force that caused desegregation within the armed forces in 1949, which was one of the events which helped to lead our nation toward desegregation in other areas.”
“The youth of today, in my estimation, have it too easy. They do not know what sacrifice is. They wish to start at the top. They do not want to take the time to properly prepare themselves for the task that will confront them in this ever-changing world. Unfortunately, the TAI history is not known to many and those who know a little about it do not believe or understand the problems that existed in the 40’s or they say, “so what?” In the words of the late General ‘Chappie’ James, you
must be prepared, so when the door of opportunity opens, you must be ready to enter and excel.”
| Felix Kirkpatrick, Original Tuskegee Airman |
Mr. Felix Kirkpatrick received his first flight training through the Civilian Pilot Training program at Harlem Airport in Chicago in 1941. He entered the Army Air Corps as an Aviation Cadet in 1942 and received his Wings in May 1943. As a single engine combat fighter pilot with the 332nd Fighter Group in Italy, he flew 70 long range escort missions, and has one enemy aircraft to his credit. For his service he has been award the Air Medal with the five Oak Leaf Clusters and Distinguished Flying Cross.
Mr. Kirkpatrick remained with Air Force until 1950. In the private sector he worked for Pabst Brewing Company in Chicago. He also worked in real estate. At the time of this interview, circa 1987, he was serving as TAI President, Central Region.
“The Tuskegee Experience was the incubation of the long term civil rights struggle in this country. The Tuskegee Experience and accompanying performance of the Tuskegee Pilots in combat certainly had a marked
influence upon the decision by President Truman to integrate the Armed Forces.
The relevance of TAI history is a milestone to our younger members and to young black Americans. TAI history gives the young America an anchor which he can use as a basis for his growth and ambitions. He can point with pride and say, ‘they made it so that I can make it. They made it under adverse circumstances so that I would have the opportunity to make it under much improved circumstances.’”
| Percy Sutton, Tuskegee Airman, excerpts from Molding a Black Legacy interview |
“It was an excellent thing that those creative and strong people organized the Tuskegee Airmen, and, if I recall our first meeting that I remember attending, it was in Washington D.C. In any event, this organization by coming into being synthesized historical focus upon an important group of black people who might not have been known to later generations of Americans, particularly black Americans.”
“The organization of Tuskegee Airmen National Scholarship Fund, which motivates and assists black youth, as well as, other minority youth in their educational pursuits; the involvement of the National Organization in a variety of noteworthy projects such as their National Historical Museum in Detroit; and the placement of a statue of a Tuskegee Airman on the grounds of the United States Air Force Academy indicates some social significance – all of this is very important.”
Editor’s note: the Tuskegee Airmen National Scholarship Foundation was originally chartered as a “fund” and changed its name around 2005/6.”
| Interview with Mitchell Higginbotham from Molding A Black Legacy… |
That’s all for now.
| love you madly! |
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