ST. LOUIS – During World War II, black men from all over the country displayed courage and patriotism despite segregation and prejudice on the homefront.
The Tuskegee Airmen became a highly respected group during World War II, and some of them were from St. Louis. The Tuskegee Airmen are America’s first black military airmen, ground crew, and mechanics, and they paved the way for full integration of the U.S. military.
You’ve heard the name Pruitt around the area. Wendall Pruitt was a licensed pilot who enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force cadet flying program in Tuskegee, Alabama. He graduated and was commissioned as a second lieutenant. Pruitt flew seventy combat missions.
Captain Charles White was a key figure in the organization of the St. Louis chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen before his death in 1979. Those are just a couple, but this Tuesday, the Missouri History Museum is remembering them and the double battle they fought.
“Some of the fighter pilots were part of what we call the ‘Double V’ campaign: victory at home and victory abroad,” African American History Programming Specialist Shuron Jones shared. “It was not just let’s fight for our rights at home and let’s go fight in another country for America; it was let’s do both. We will definitely address the double-v campaign and some of the inequities some of these soldiers experienced.
Tuesday’s event is at the Missouri History Museum at 11:00 a.m., and it is free. The St. Louis Library is bringing bomber jackets to show, giving a lecture, and having a Q&A. You also don’t need a reservation to learn more about our Tuskegee airmen.
