February 19, 1942 – First African-American military aviators in the U.S armed forces
On February 19, 1942, the Tuskegee Airmen were initiated into the armed forces. The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American flying unit in the U.S military. What began as a revolutionary experiment gave birth to a potent fighting force that would help take Nazi Germany out of the skies and, in the process, change the course of American history. Watch War Story: Red Tails on History, Friday, Feb. 24 at 8am and 1pm E/P. Image copyright: ©Bettmann/Getty Images