A Guide to Primary Resources for U.S. History : Tuskegee Airmen Interactive Site National Park Service: "Legends of Tuskegee" This resource presents a well-designed and highly informative project website about the famous African American fighter pilots of World War II. It sets the historical context for the Tuskegee Airmen by its position within a site devoted to the famed Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) of Alabama, and allows students to delve into areas of interest as they explore its text and hyperlinks. The teacher can create a slideshow (using PowerPoint) of a few of the images from the airmen gallery and run the slideshow on a continuous cycle for students at the beginning of class. Students can either write down or discuss with a neighbor answers to the following questions: a) Who do you think these people are? b) What are they doing? c) What do you think is significant about them? Students can use all the resources on the Tuskegee Airmen to create a "Hero Poster" of a particular African-American airman. They should include pictures, brief descriptions of accomplishments, and adversities that their airman overcame. The resources include specific references to the following airmen: Robert M. Glass, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Roger "Bill" Terry, and Gynne Pierson. The students should be encouraged to use any additional resources to find out more information. With a more writing-oriented class, the teacher might change the assignment to have students write a eulogy for an airman.

Tuskegee Airmen Interactive Site
National Park Service: Legends of Tuskegee

Description: This resource presents a well-designed and highly informative project website about the famous African American fighter pilots of World War II. It sets the historical context for the Tuskegee Airmen by its position within a site devoted to the famed Tuskegee Institute (now Tuskegee University) of Alabama, and allows students to delve into areas of interest as they explore its text and hyperlinks.

Teaching Tips:

"Do Now" Suggestion

The teacher can create a slideshow (using PowerPoint) of a few of the images from the airmen gallery and run the slideshow on a continuous cycle for students at the beginning of class. Students can either write down or discuss with a neighbor answers to the following questions: a) Who do you think these people are? b) What are they doing? c) What do you think is significant about them?

Suggestion for Using this Resource as Part of a Lesson

Students can use all the resources on the Tuskegee Airmen to create a "Hero Poster" of a particular African-American airman. They should include pictures, brief descriptions of accomplishments, and adversities that their airman overcame. The resources include specific references to the following airmen: Robert M. Glass, Benjamin O. Davis Jr., Roger "Bill" Terry, and Gynne Pierson. The students should be encouraged to use any additional resources to find out more information. With a more writing-oriented class, the teacher might change the assignment to have students write a eulogy for an airman.