The U.S. Army Air Corps activates the 99th Pursuit Squadron, the first Black flying unit, at Chanute Field, Illinois; its members soon move to Tuskegee, Alabama, to train as the first Black military aviators.
At a Glance
- Date
- 22 March 1941
- Location
- Chanute Field, Illinois / Tuskegee, Alabama
- Key people
- Benjamin O. Davis Jr.
- Category
- Military
- Source
- U.S. Army Air Corps records (1941) · National Park Service
What It Meant Then
It challenged the military's claim that Black men could not fly combat aircraft.
What It Means Now
The Tuskegee Airmen's record helped spur the desegregation of the armed forces.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “The Tuskegee Airmen Take Flight.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tuskegee-airmen-take-flight/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). The Tuskegee Airmen Take Flight. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tuskegee-airmen-take-flight/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “The Tuskegee Airmen Take Flight.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/the-tuskegee-airmen-take-flight/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.