Cultural Impact:
Desegregation of Society:
The Tuskegee Airmen were a driving force in desegregating society. Their successes overseas proved that African-Americans were not inferior to whites and deserved to be treated equally, helping them be better accepted in society. This then of course led to the desegregation of major aspects of life in the United States, such as sports.
Jackie Robinson, the first African-American baseball player to play the Major League Baseball (MLB), broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base, two years after WWII ended, on April 15, 1947. This shows that the Tuskegee Airmen had an immediate impact on U.S. culture once the war had ended because of their exceptional performance. This bold move, then challenged the traditional basis of segregation, which then marked many other aspects of American life, and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement.
Dr. Daniel L. Haulman, Chief Organizational History Division, at the Air Force Historical Research Agency states," The success of the Tuskegee Airmen proved to the American public that African-Americans, when given the opportunity, could become effective military leaders and pilots...their performance helped pave the way for desegregation of the military and society."
Desegregation of Society:
The Tuskegee Airmen were a driving force in desegregating society. Their successes overseas proved that African-Americans were not inferior to whites and deserved to be treated equally, helping them be better accepted in society. This then of course led to the desegregation of major aspects of life in the United States, such as sports.
Jackie Robinson, the first African-American baseball player to play the Major League Baseball (MLB), broke the baseball color line when the Brooklyn Dodgers started him at first base, two years after WWII ended, on April 15, 1947. This shows that the Tuskegee Airmen had an immediate impact on U.S. culture once the war had ended because of their exceptional performance. This bold move, then challenged the traditional basis of segregation, which then marked many other aspects of American life, and contributed significantly to the Civil Rights Movement.
Dr. Daniel L. Haulman, Chief Organizational History Division, at the Air Force Historical Research Agency states," The success of the Tuskegee Airmen proved to the American public that African-Americans, when given the opportunity, could become effective military leaders and pilots...their performance helped pave the way for desegregation of the military and society."
Political Impact:
President Truman's Executive Order and Influential African-Americans Today:
The Tuskegee Airmen proved to White U.S. citizens,that when given the opportunity, African-Americans could become effective military leaders and pilots, therefore they deserved to be desegregated from whites and be treated equally in the military. Dr. Daniel L. Haulman states "...their (Tuskegee Airmen) performance helped pave the way for desegregation of the military, beginning with President Harry S Truman's Executive Order 9981 in 1948." Desegregation then spread throughout the United States, sparking a change in the Civil Rights Movement and leading to the desegregation of society altogether, creating opportunities for African-Americans in the United States, even all the way up until today.If it weren't for the courageous Tuskegee Airmen who fought for African-Americans rights overseas, African-American iconic figures would not exist today. According to "The New York Times," Even the current president, Barack Obama, once said ,they (Tuskegee Airmen), "paved his way to the presidency."
President Truman's Executive Order and Influential African-Americans Today:
The Tuskegee Airmen proved to White U.S. citizens,that when given the opportunity, African-Americans could become effective military leaders and pilots, therefore they deserved to be desegregated from whites and be treated equally in the military. Dr. Daniel L. Haulman states "...their (Tuskegee Airmen) performance helped pave the way for desegregation of the military, beginning with President Harry S Truman's Executive Order 9981 in 1948." Desegregation then spread throughout the United States, sparking a change in the Civil Rights Movement and leading to the desegregation of society altogether, creating opportunities for African-Americans in the United States, even all the way up until today.If it weren't for the courageous Tuskegee Airmen who fought for African-Americans rights overseas, African-American iconic figures would not exist today. According to "The New York Times," Even the current president, Barack Obama, once said ,they (Tuskegee Airmen), "paved his way to the presidency."
Economic Impact:
African-American Military Enlistment:
The positive experience, outstanding record of accomplishment and the superb behavior displayed by the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II had laid the foundation for postwar desegregation of the military. According to the Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum, "In 1941 fewer than 4,000 African-American were serving in the military and only twelve African-Americans had become officers. By 1945, more than 1.2 million African-Americans would be serving in uniform on the Home Front, in Europe, and the Pacific." This shows that the Tuskegee Airmen inspired other African-Americans to join the armed forces and represent the African-American population of the United States. Today, African-Americans still serve in the Armed forces in large numbers. According to Business Insider, 17% of the 1.3 million active U.S. armed forces personnel are African-American as seen in the graph showing that the influence of the Tuskegee Airmen has lived on forever.
Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation:
The Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation was created in 1978 in order to continue to preserve the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. The goal of the foundation is to provide annual scholarships to outstanding young in their journey to academic excellence. According to taisf.org 2007 TASF had raised $2,000,000 from seed money coming from pledges, contributions, and the proceeds of a Memorial Banquet honoring General Daniel "Chappie" James Jr, a former Tuskegee Airmen. Now the TASF continues to raise money and each year presents $1,500 in scholarship awards to 41 disadvantaged students, preferably interested in the fields of aviation, aerospace and science technology, who instill the ideals, leadership and commitment as demonstrated by the Tuskegee Airmen.
African-American Military Enlistment:
The positive experience, outstanding record of accomplishment and the superb behavior displayed by the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II had laid the foundation for postwar desegregation of the military. According to the Tuskegee Airmen National Historical Museum, "In 1941 fewer than 4,000 African-American were serving in the military and only twelve African-Americans had become officers. By 1945, more than 1.2 million African-Americans would be serving in uniform on the Home Front, in Europe, and the Pacific." This shows that the Tuskegee Airmen inspired other African-Americans to join the armed forces and represent the African-American population of the United States. Today, African-Americans still serve in the Armed forces in large numbers. According to Business Insider, 17% of the 1.3 million active U.S. armed forces personnel are African-American as seen in the graph showing that the influence of the Tuskegee Airmen has lived on forever.
Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation:
The Tuskegee Airmen Scholarship Foundation was created in 1978 in order to continue to preserve the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. The goal of the foundation is to provide annual scholarships to outstanding young in their journey to academic excellence. According to taisf.org 2007 TASF had raised $2,000,000 from seed money coming from pledges, contributions, and the proceeds of a Memorial Banquet honoring General Daniel "Chappie" James Jr, a former Tuskegee Airmen. Now the TASF continues to raise money and each year presents $1,500 in scholarship awards to 41 disadvantaged students, preferably interested in the fields of aviation, aerospace and science technology, who instill the ideals, leadership and commitment as demonstrated by the Tuskegee Airmen.
Technological Impact:
America's manufacturers in WWII were involved in the greatest industrial effort in history because of the constant demand for aircraft needed for the war effort. During the Tuskegee Airmen's time in Europe,they flew P-39, P-40, P-47, and P-51 planes, which were all manufactured in the U.S. According to "Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II", "in 1939 only approximately 3,000 aircraft had been manufactured for military use. But, after Roosevelt,the current president, appealed to have $300,000,000 spent on military aircraft, 300,000 planes had been manufactured by the end of the war." According to Arthur Herman, aircraft manufacturing went from a distant 41st place among American industries to first place in less than five years, and by 1944 each American worker produced more than twice his/her German counterpart, and four times the output of a Japanese worker. Donald Douglas,an influential American aircraft industrialist and engineer at the time, once stated, "Here's proof that free men can out-produce slaves."
America's manufacturers in WWII were involved in the greatest industrial effort in history because of the constant demand for aircraft needed for the war effort. During the Tuskegee Airmen's time in Europe,they flew P-39, P-40, P-47, and P-51 planes, which were all manufactured in the U.S. According to "Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II", "in 1939 only approximately 3,000 aircraft had been manufactured for military use. But, after Roosevelt,the current president, appealed to have $300,000,000 spent on military aircraft, 300,000 planes had been manufactured by the end of the war." According to Arthur Herman, aircraft manufacturing went from a distant 41st place among American industries to first place in less than five years, and by 1944 each American worker produced more than twice his/her German counterpart, and four times the output of a Japanese worker. Donald Douglas,an influential American aircraft industrialist and engineer at the time, once stated, "Here's proof that free men can out-produce slaves."