Memorial Day is one of the federal holidays in the United States for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. The Tuskegee Airmen are deeply connected to Memorial Day through their courageous service, sacrifice, and groundbreaking role in American military history during World War II.
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Black military pilots in the U.S. Armed Forces, trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama. They also included navigators, bombardiers, mechanics, instructors, and support staff-more than 14,000 men and women overall. They risked and gave their lives for a country that discriminated against them completely.