Exhibition to honor Tuskegee Airmen
Orlando International Airport (MCO) is celebrating Black History Month by honoring a group of African-American military pilots who contributed significantly during World War II. These pilots played a crucial role in the war effort by serving in the United States and various war zones in Europe.
“Florida Celebrates the Tuskegee Airmen, the First African-American Military Pilots” is currently on display in the Community Exhibition Gallery area on Level 3 of Terminal A at Orlando International Airport until April 21. The State of Florida’s Tuskegee Airmen Commemoration Day is Thursday, March 27, 2025.
The exhibition is unique because it has a gallery of images by photographer Toni Frissell. It is believed that these may be the only photos taken of the airmen in Europe by a professional photographer.
ClickOrlando quotes 103-year-old Lt. Daniel Keel Jr, one of the last surviving Tuskegee Airmen who visited the exhibit, as saying,
“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.”
Who were the Tuskegee Airmen?
Encyclopedia Britannica explains that Tuskegee Airmen were “black servicemen of the U.S. Army Air Forces who trained at Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama during World War II. They constituted the first African American flying unit in the U.S. military.”
Nevertheless, a separate unit was created under the leadership of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. In July 1941, the Tuskegee base was opened, where the enlisted men were trained. In the run-up to their first mission, the Tuskegee Airmen were further trained in French Morocco.
According to Encyclopedia Britannica, “992 pilots graduated from the Tuskegee Air Field courses, and they flew 1,578 missions and 15,533 sorties, destroyed 261 enemy aircraft, and won more than 850 medals.”
Florida’s contribution
As part of the “Tuskegee Experience,” Florida also played an important role. The state trained many pilots, navigators, bombardiers, instructors, mechanics, control tower operators, and other support staff. According to the official release by Orlando International Airport, at least four Tuskegee Airmen were from Central Florida, including:
- Chief Master Sergeant Richard C. Hall, Jr. (1923 – 2021) Winter Park
- Lt. Daniel K. Keel, Jr. (1922 – Present) Clermont
- Lt. Col. Robert C. Hughes (1924 – 2022) Brevard County
- Lt. Raymond Cassagnol (1920 – 2023) Seminole County
Kevin J. Thibault, CEO of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA), commented,
“Honoring the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen through this exhibition is a meaningful way to celebrate and recognize the contributions of these pioneering pilots. By showcasing their remarkable story, we hope to not only educate and inspire travelers, but also enrich their journey with a deeper appreciation of how the Tuskegee Airmen made history.”
About Orlando International Airport
Operated by the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, Orlando International Airport serves almost 58 million passengers in a year across its three terminals, A, B, and C. Terminal C, in fact, is equipped with 100% automated screening lanes at TSA checkpoints and is connected to an Intermodal Terminal Facility.
The airport is well-connected to all major cities in the United States and several international destinations, with all major full-service and low-cost carriers operating out of it. According to Cirium, an aviation analytics company, more than 18,000 flights are scheduled out of MCO in March 2025.
