Black History Month: Benjamin O. Davis, Jr.
Today's Black History Month illustration is of Benjamin O. Davis, Jr., the first Black general officer in the US Air Force and the commander of the 99th Flying Training Squadron, known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
Davis was born in 1912 in Washington DC, and his father, Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. was the first African American to become a general in any branch of the US military.
Davis studied at the University of Chicago until he received a recommendation to attend West Point from Rep. Oscar S. De Priest, the only Black congressman at that time. Davis entered West Point in 1932 and faced discrimination and racism because he was the first Black cadet to attend West Point in the 20th century and only the fourth to attend.
During his time there, he never had a roommate, he ate his meals in silence, and was only spoken to if needed. Despite being shunned, he graduated from West Point in 1936 at the top 20% of his class. After he graduated in 1936, he was commissioned in the infantry and in 1941 he was one of the first African Americans admitted to the Army Air Corps and to pilot training.
Davis was soon promoted to lieutenant colonel, and he organized the 99th Pursuit Squadron, the first Black air unit. In 1943, he organized and commanded the 332nd Fighter Group, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen. By the end of WWII, he had flown 60 combat missions.
After WWII, he helped plan the desegregation of the Air Force in 1948 and in 1954, he became its first Black general. He held progressively higher commands throughout his career, and he became lieutenant general before retiring from the Air Force in 1970.
Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. Interview on Air Force Now (1970)
In 1998, he was advanced to four-star general, making him a general of the highest order in the US military. He was the first African American to be awarded in retirement. (Side note: the propeller in the portrait background is from a P-47 Thunderbolt.)
My illustration of Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. is available as an art print here.
I’ll be back tomorrow with another illustration and story!
-Alleanna
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Further watching:
Video: Tuskegee Airmen Reach New Heights | Dogfights (S2, E13) - The History Channel
Video: Tuskegee Airmen: Legacy of Courage | Black American Heroes - The History Channel
Sources:
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