During World War II, black Americans were fighting for their country and for freedom in Europe, yet they had to endure a totally segregated military in the United States, where they weren’t considered to have the ability to become military pilots.
After acquiring government funding for aviation training, civil rights activists were able to kickstart the first African American military flight program in the US at Tuskegee University in Alabama. While this book details thrilling flight missions and the grueling training sessions the Tuskegee Airmen underwent, it also shines a light on the lives of these brave men who helped pave the way for the integration of the US armed forces. 8-12 years
Wind Flyers
By Angela Johnson, Illustrated by Loren Long
Three-time Coretta Scott King Award-winning author Angela Johnson and New York Times bestselling illustrator Loren Long invite readers to ponder a band of World War II heroes — the Tuskegee Airmen. This book reveals how a boy’s love of flight takes him on a journey from the dusty dirt roads of Alabama to the war-torn skies of Europe and into the hearts of those beginning to understand the part these brave souls played in the history of America. 5-9 years
The Tuskegee Airmen Story
By Lynn Homan and Thomas Reilly, Illustrated by Rosalie M. Shepherd
When World War II struck, every able-bodied man was needed for the defense of the nation, regardless of the color of his skin. In 1941, young black men began training at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, despite those who said that African Americans weren’t smart enough to operate anything as intricate as an airplane. Mr. Kennedy’s students, learning of segregation for the first time, eagerly listen to the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Mr. Kennedy teaches them about the brave men who flew the death-filled skies of World War II and fought the deeply-ingrained racism of their hometowns. 5-8 years
You Can Fly: The Tuskegee Airmen
By Carole Boston Weatherford, Illustrated by Jeffery Boston Weatherford
I WANT YOU! says the poster of Uncle Sam. But if you’re a young black man in 1940, he doesn’t want you in the cockpit of a war plane. Yet you are determined not to let that stop your dream of flying.
So when you hear of a civilian pilot training program at Tuskegee Institute, you leap at the chance. Soon you are learning engineering and mechanics, how to communicate in code, how to read a map. At last the day you’ve longed for is here: you are flying!
From training days in Alabama to combat on the front lines in Europe, this is the story of the Tuskegee Airmen, the groundbreaking African-American pilots of World War II. 9-12 years
The Tuskegee Airmen: Freedom Fighters of World War II
By Brynn Nicole Baker
The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military pilots in the United States armed forces. Flying bombers and fighters, they completed over 1500 combat missions in World War II. Infographics, sidebars, and fact boxes bring the experiences of these brave military men to life. 8-10 years
Tuskegee Airmen
By John Perritano
World War II was coming and soon the United States would join the war. Everyone knew it was a matter of time. African Americans wanted to fight for their country. They wanted to be pilots, but they had to overcome racism to earn their wings. Engage your most struggling readers in grades 3-8 with this book. Written at a 1.5-1.9 readability level, it includes photographs, illustrations, fun facts and short chapters. Reluctant readers
The Tuskegee Airmen’s Mission to Berlin: A Fly on the Wall History
By Thomas Kingsley Troupe, Illustrated by Jomike Tejido
Through clouds and over mountains and farmland, two cartoon flies accompany readers on an adrenaline-pumping flight over war-torn Europe as the U.S. Army Air Corps’ Tuskegee airmen take on a heroic, history-making mission during World War II. 6-8 years
The Tuskegee Airmen, An Illustrated History 1939-1949
By Joseph D. Carver and Jerome Ennels
This book uses captioned photographs to trace the Airmen through the various stages of training, deployment, and combat in North Africa, Italy, and over occupied Europe. Included are depictions of the critical support roles of non-flyers: doctors, nurses, mechanics, navigators, weathermen, parachute riggers, and others, all of whom contributed to the Airmen’s success. In words and pictures, this volume tells the story of the Tuskegee Airmen and the environments in which they lived, worked, played, fought, and sometimes died.
I Wanted to be a Pilot: The Making of a Tuskegee Airman
By Franklin J. Macon, with Elizabeth G. Harper
Sometimes history is made by a dyslexic, mischievous boy who hates school, is a descendant of one of Frederick Douglass’ half-sisters, and whose Pops was a Buffalo Soldier. In I Wanted to be a Pilot, one of the less than 100 living Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen, Franklin J. Macon, tells the lively stories of how he overcame life’s obstacles to become a Tuskegee Airman.
Soar through history with Franklin as he conquers dyslexia, finds mischief, and grows up to change the course of America. Readers laugh at Frank’s childhood antics, while being reminded that disabilities like Frank’s dyslexia, repeating a grade in school, and other hardships can be overcome. I Wanted to be a Pilot encourages kids to recognize history, reach for their dreams, and even make their own toys as they are reminded of the great strength and determination of the men and women who came before them. 13-18 years
The book descriptions used are primarily from the publishers.
If you like this post, then please consider sharing it and/or leaving a comment below. Thank you! Barbara Lowell, Children’s Author
In her book, Revolutionary Friends, Selene Castrovilla, brings to life the friendship of George Washington and the Marquis de Lafayette.
Marquis de Lafayette
In the spring of 1777, nineteen-year-old Lafayette had a dream. He would go to America and help General George Washington win the Revolutionary War against Britain. King Louis XVI rejected the idea. But Lafayette left France for America determined to help.
After a long and difficult voyage, Lafayette reached South Carolina. And as Selene Castovilla writes: “…suffered a month of broken carriages, lame horses, and nightly mosquito raids as he trekked hundreds of miles” to meet George Washington inPhiladelphia.
Marquis de Lafayette meets General George Washington
When Lafayette arrived in America in June, the war was not going well. The Continental Congress needed help. They believed that Lafayette’s connections in France might be the answer. He may be able to strengthen America’s ties to his country.
The congress appointed him a major general in the Continental Army. This was an honorary appointment. But perhaps Lafayette misunderstood. He expected his role in the war would be that of a division commander.
At first, Washington complained to the Continental Congress about Lafayette’s desire to command a division. But soon Washington softened. Lafayette told him, “I am here to learn, not to teach.” Lafayette became a part of Washington’s military family. He visited the troops and rode with Washington in parades.
Washington and Lafayette
Washington and Lafayette were together at Brandywine Creek, thirty-two miles from Philadelphia. Word reached their headquarters that the Americans fighting in the Battle of Brandywine were in trouble. Lafayette asked to join the fight.Washington gave his permission. He knew that Lafayette was taking a risk.
At Brandywine, Lafayette watched the America soldiers scatter. He dismounted from his horse. Then bravely rallied them to fight the British. A musket ball tore through his leg. He was gravely wounded. But he continued the charge. The Americans again retreated. Lafayette tried to regroup the soldiers, but the battle had been lost.
General George Washington
George Washington sent his own physician to take care of Lafayette’s wound. Lafayette wrote to his wife, “When he sent me his personal surgeon, he told him to take care of me as if I were his son…” Washington asked the Continental Congress to commission Lafayette a major general.
In January 1779, Lafayette sailed to France, a hero. He named his new son George Washington Lafayette. Lafayette returned to America in April 1780. This time it was with the king’s permission. The king gave his commitment to aid America in the war. Lafayette wrote to Washington upon his arrival, “here I am, My dear General, and in the Mist of the joy I feel in finding Myself again one of your loving soldiers.”
Major General Lafayette
The French military helped the Americans at the Battle of Yorktown in October 1781. Lafayette commanded a division. The British lost the battle and the war. Lafayette realized his dream to help America win its independence. The war formally ended with the Treaty of Paris in 1783.
Lafayette Visits George Washington at His Home, Mount Vernon, in 1784
George Washington and Lafayette wrote to each other until Washington’s death on December 14, 1799. Ten years earlier, on July 14, 1789, the French Revolution began. It was inspired by the ideals of the America Revolution. With the destruction of the prison, the Bastille, Lafayette sent the key to Washington. It hangs today in Washington’s home, Mount Vernon.
Statue of Washington and Lafayette, Washington, D. C.
