At which of the following HBCUs did the first African-American aviators train for air combat missions during WWII? A) Louisiana Military Institute B) the Tuskeegee Institute C) Howard University D) Spellman College

Answer

The correct answer is B) the Tuskeegee Institute. During World War II, the U.S. military was racially segregated. In 1941, the U.S. Army Air Corps established a program to train African American pilots at Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) and the nearby Moton Field in Alabama. These airmen became known as the 'Tuskegee Airmen.' They formed the 99th Pursuit Squadron and later the 332nd Fighter Group, serving with great distinction in the European Theater. Their success challenged contemporary racial prejudices and helped pave the way for the eventual desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1948.