Presentation: Leading the Tuskegee Airmen - George S. Roberts

In celebration of Black History Month, the Richmond Museum of History & Culture and The Walking Ghosts of Black History are co-hosting guest speaker Leigh Roberts! Leigh Roberts is a Western Region Representative of the Tuskegee Airmen Heritage Chapter of Greater Sacramento. She will be holding a 45-minute presentation on her father, George S. Roberts, who is known for his time serving as the historic first African-American aviation commander of the Tuskegee Airmen’s 99th Fighter Squadron.

The Tuskegee Airmen was born in 1941 to much internal and external opposition from proponents of segregation and Jim Crow law in the government. With the support of organizations such as the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), black press outlets, and civil rights figures such as Asa Philip Randolph, the military had no choice but to authorize the formation and deployment of the 99th Fighter Squadron. They would later prove instrumental to the resolution of World War II, leading 15,000 missions and earning a number of awards and decorations for their contributions in the air.

In light of recent attempts of the current administration to erase this vital part of American history, it has become all the more important for institutions to not only preserve, but to actively teach of the Tuskegee Airmen’s’ plight and also their triumph in overcoming racial barriers and their role in the dismantling of American desegregation.

See Tuskegee Airmen Inc.’s statement on the recommitment to preserve the Tuskegee Airmen’s history in the Air Force – January 27, 2025

At the event:
Buy Tuskegee Airmen merch and support their STEM Scholarship Fund! In case you are unable to make it, the merch will be available via their online store!
See genuine World War II articles and artifacts!
View displays walking through the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen

The Walking Ghosts of Black History was first established in Hercules, California 1989. The conception of this organization began when Leon Watkins was cast as the flag bearer for the national colors with the Massachusetts 54th Regiment in the motion picture “GLORY”. Recognizing Watkins’ true commitment to his ideas and vision, the film producer, Freddie Fields, contributed 20 Civil War uniforms used in the movie to help start THE WALKING GHOSTS OF BLACK HISTORY organization (TWGOBH).

Since then both founders, Leon Watkins and Larry Thompson have participated in numerous community events and school lectures. Participation has included; winning First place in the City of Oakland’s Veteran’s Day parade in 1991 for authenticity, presentation of a commemorative wreath at the ceremony for the 9th and 10th Cavalry / 24th and 25th Infantry in Honor of National Buffalo Soldiers Day in the City of San Francisco, July 1992, the Home Front Festival / Rosie The Riveter Historic Society – Richmond, CA., Oct 2012 and the 1st annual commemoration of the 150th anniversary of the Burning of Darien Festival-Darien,Ga. June 2013 – just to name a few.

Their objectives are to work with historians and community leaders to present to the public documentaries and film showcases about African American involvement in the US military. This will create a visual and multimedia platform for educational programs along with a living history archive and reenactments held yearly. They strive to have Veterans play an active role in TWGOBH.

The Tuskegee Airmen Heritage Chapter is a non-discriminatory, non-profit corporation whose purpose is to educate the public about the Tuskegee Airmen by providing facts, statistics, and personal historical perspectives on their true history and legacy through public outreach including: History Presentations, their Youth Legacy Program, and Scholarships.

This chapter is part of a larger, national organization:

Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (TAI) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, incorporated in 1975 by its namesake members, the
Tuskegee Airmen of World War II. More than 16,000 African American service men and women participated in
the training of aircrew members from 1941 to 1949. The mission of TAI is to preserve the legacy of the original
Tuskegee Airmen and to inspire the next generation of aviation and aerospace professionals by exposing them to
science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

Host or Publisher Richmond Museum of History