CLEVELAND — The Tuskegee Airmen were America’s first Black military pilots whose service and fight against racism helped lead to the desegregation of the armed forces.
It is believed that only one member of the group is still alive. Nearly 1,000 pilots graduated from the training program in Tuskegee, Alabama, and several dozen pilots hailed from Northeast Ohio.
Several weeks ago, I met a group of teens from the Cleveland School of the Arts who are using their talents to honor these local trailblazers.
Their work began with research at the Western Reserve Historical Society Library.
Black and white photos, part of the library’s collection, capture some of the men from the Cleveland area who, from 1941-1946, were part of the military training program at Moton Field, testing whether Blacks had what it took to be combat pilots and support personnel.
“They’re all like very serious,” one student said as she looked at photographs with Terricha Bradley, corresponding secretary for the North Coast Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc., a group that works to honor the service members and educate the public about their service and sacrifices.
“Serious…. stoic because they understood the big assignment they had,” Bradley responded to the student.
Thomas Cargill is the vice president of the North Coast Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc.
“They prevailed through the use of their intelligence, through their bravery, and through a determination,” Cargill said.
His father, Gilbert Allen Cargill, was born in Oberlin and graduated from Oberlin College. “His ascension and his desire to fly really started as a small child,” Cargill said.
Gilbert was a 2nd Lt. in the Army and became a flight instructor who trained nearly all the pilots who were part of the Tuskegee training program.
The airmen completed more than 1,500 combat missions during WWII and were sought after because of their exceptional skills and combat records.
“To the man, I can say they loved this country,” Cargill said. “They loved this country dearly.”
Gilbert died in 2004.
The student artists are bringing these stories to life with each sketch and stroke of a paintbrush.
They're drawing and painting portraits of the local Tuskegee Airmen as part of a partnership with the North Coast Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. for the nonprofit's Cleveland Heroes Project.
The pieces are stunning and complete with amazing accuracy.
Khloe Brand’s portrait is of Capt. Erwin Bernard Lawrence Jr., who was one of the first Tuskegee graduates who saw combat in both North Africa and Italy.
“They all wanted to fly, and they all wanted to be dedicated to a place that didn't care very much for them,” Brand said.
She never imagined working on a project as meaningful as this one.
“I just hope that I like it and people who see it can respect and like it as well,” Brand said.
Jason Hicks is creating Brigadier Gen. Charles McGee’s portrait.
“I really think WWII is a very complex part of history that people really need to hear about,” Hicks said.
McGee notably shot down a German fighter while escorting American bombers over Czechoslovakia.
“He fought for our country and fought for his freedom as an African American,” Hicks said.
Each individual piece of art will be showcased locally at the Western Reserve Historical Society and the Justice Center in downtown Cleveland.
The pieces will also be incorporated into a larger mural that Cargill said will be a part of a showcase “housed at a local airport.”
Art teacher Brittainy Quinn told me her students' research struck a chord.
“A lot of these airmen were only a few years older than them when they enlisted, and many of the airmen were also living really close to the school where they come every day,” Quinn said.
I asked her, “Have the students felt a lot of pressure?” Quinn responded, “I know that they feel the pressure, especially just in having a gallery show, first of all to celebrate the works. They're nervous about that. But that's a part of being an artist. There's a productive struggle.”
Cargill got to see his father’s portrait, which is still being painted. He’s proud of the work the students are investing in because it helps keep his father’s legacy and all Tuskegee Airmen legacies alive.
“And we will get a manifestation someway, somehow,” Cargill said. “They will let us know that we have done the right thing.”
The students will host an exhibition at the Cleveland School of the Arts on Feb. 28.
It's estimated between 14,000 and 19,000 people were part of the Tuskegee training program, including navigators, crew chiefs, nurses, mechanics, and other support staff.
For more information about the Cleveland Heroes Project, contact the North Coast Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen Inc. and the Cleveland School of the Arts. Fundraising efforts continue.
