Training at Moton Field, Tuskegee, Alabama

1942

Tuskegee Institute began training pilots before the U.S. entered World War II.

Moton Field was created at Tuskegee Institute in 1941 to provide flight training for African American pilots. Named after Robert Russa Moton, a former president of Tuskegee Institute, Moton Field was built by students and faculty with assistance from the Rosenwald Fund. Tuskegee was granted a contract by the U.S. military because of its civilian pilot training program and engineering and technical advisors.