The Tuskegee Airmen and Social Identity

“Find a case where some kind of ‘Outsider’ has emerged… that has challenged or changed ideas about social identities or that social practice”

In our class discussion, there were plenty of great ideas about individuals or groups that fit the prompt, from Barack Obama to Jeremy Lin, but one stood out to me in particular – the Tuskegee Airmen. Nicknamed the “Red Tailed Angels”, they were the first African-American military pilots.

Before the Second World War, many individuals believed that African-Americans were incapable of becoming military pilots, and that they wouldn’t fare well in combat. In fact, a study performed by the Army War College that concluded African-Americans were physically and mentally unsuitable for combat, which only compounded the stereotypes and added to their inaccurate social identity₁. At the time, many people believed black fighter pilots lacked the courage and intelligence to serve in the military. However, government leaders felt increasing political pressure from civil rights organizations to allow black men to serve, and soon after, a flight school was founded at Tuskegee University. 

Imagine the pressure felt by the Tuskegee Airmen. Not only were they risking their own lives to help the war effort, but also the fates of future African American military pilots were in their hands. If the “Red Tailed Angels” failed to perform, their ill-fitting and unfair identity of military ineptness would have further increased. At a time when the military was segregated, the discrimination would have grown even more₁. In addition, many people actually expected them to fail and even hoped that they would. Despite all of this, the Tuskegee Airmen distinguished themselves as some of the most successful military pilots in U.S. history.

These aviators set record after record and won award after award for their outstanding military performance. The 332^nd fighter group of the Tuskegee Airmen proved vital in the war effort by flying 179 bomber escort missions₂. Despite being greatly outnumbered in many of the group’s missions, they were extremely successful. By the end of the war, they shot down 112 enemy aircrafts and destroyed 150 on the ground, while losing far less of their own₂.

The Tuskegee Airmen are a prime example of a group that changed ideas about social identities. Nearly everyone expected them to fail, and despite astounding amounts of pressure on their shoulders, they exceeded everyone’s expectations and made a great impact for future African Americans to come by changing their social identity. At the time, people thought African Americans weren’t fit to serve in the military, but the Tuskegee Airmen changed this mindset. Indeed, they helped integrate the military from its segregated roots₁. In a way, their achievements even helped pave the way for future African American men, including Martin Luther King Jr., to continue changing their social identity for the better. The Tuskegee Airmen certainly proved that African Americans were capable of serving in the military and possessed the courage and intelligence to achieve success.

Earlier this year, "Red Tails", a movie about the Tuskegee Airmen directed by George Lucas was released. Check it out to learn more!

Source 1: http://www.military.com/Content/MoreContent1/?file=BH_Tuskegee

Source 2: http://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/factsheets/factsheet.asp?id=15471