ORLANDO, Fla. – Orlando International Airport is paying tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen, the first group of Black pilots in the U.S. Air Force, with a new exhibit.
This group, certified in the 1940s, led the way for future generations of pilots.
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Lt. Daniel Keel Jr., one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen and 103 years old, visited the exhibit.
“Being honored this afternoon for what [we] accomplished and for all the obstacles we ran during the war. I would like to say only one thing, thank you, thank you very much,” Keel said.
The exhibit highlights the bravery and determination of these pilots. At the time, segregation was the law, making their achievements even more significant.
This display is not just about the past; it aims to inspire future generations.
“We’ve actually had events where individuals that walk up will say, ‘You know, my dad told me if it wasn’t for the Red Tail pilots, I wouldn’t be here,‘” Sylvester Terry, president of the CMSgt Richard R. Hall, Jr. Tuskegee Airmen chapter, said.
The exhibit is located in the Community Exhibition Gallery on Level Three of Terminal A and will be open through April 21.