ers within the United States Army Air Corps did not
believe that African-Americans possessed the capac-
ity to become successful military pilots. After suc-
cumbing to pressure exerted by civil rights groups
and the black press, the Army decided to train a
small number of African-American pilot cadets
under special conditions. Although prejudice and dis-
crimination against African-Americans was a na-
tional phenomenon, not just a southern trait, it was
more intense in the South where it had hardened
into rigidly enforced patterns of segregation. Such
was the environment where the military chose to lo-
cate the training of the Tuskegee Airmen.
(3) The military selected Tuskegee Institute
(now known as Tuskegee University) as a civilian
contractor for a variety of reasons. These included
the school’s existing facilities, engineering and tech-
nical instructors, and a climate with ideal flying con-
ditions year round. Tuskegee Institute’s strong in-
terest in providing aeronautical training for African-
American youths was also an important factor. Stu-
dents from the school’s civilian pilot training pro-
gram had some of the best test scores when com-
pared to other students from programs across the
Southeast.
(4) In 1941 the United States Army Air Corps
awarded a contract to Tuskegee Institute to operate
a primary flight school at Moton Field. Tuskegee In-
stitute (now known as Tuskegee University) chose
an African-American contractor who designed and
constructed Moton Field, with the assistance of its
faculty and students, as the site for its military pilot
training program. The field was named for the
school’s second president, Robert Russa Moton. Con-
sequently, Tuskegee Institute was one of a very few
American institutions (and the only African-Amer-
ican institution) to own, develop, and control facili-
ties for military flight instruction.
(5) Moton Field, also known as the Primary
Flying Field or Airport Number 2, was the only pri-
mary flight training facility for African-American
pilot candidates in the United States Army Air
Corps during World War II. The facility symbolizes
the entrance of African-American pilots into the
United States Army Air Corps, although on the
basis of a policy of segregation that was mandated
by the military and institutionalized in the South.
The facility also symbolizes the singular role of
Tuskegee Institute (Tuskegee University) in provid-
ing leadership as well as economic and educational
resources to make that entry possible.
(6) The Tuskegee Airmen were the first Afri-
can-American soldiers to complete their training suc-
cessfully and to enter the United States Army Air
Corps. Almost 1,000 aviators were trained as Ameri-
ca’s first African-American military pilots. In addi-
tion, more than 10,000 military and civilian African-
American men and women served as flight instruc-
tors, officers, bombardiers, navigators, radio techni-
cians, mechanics, air traffic controllers, parachute
riggers, electrical and communications specialists,
medical professionals, laboratory assistants, cooks,
musicians, supply, firefighting, and transportation
personnel.
(7) Although military leaders were hesitant to
use the Tuskegee Airmen in combat, the Airmen
eventually saw considerable action in North Africa
and Europe. Acceptance from United States Army
Air Corps units came slowly, but their courageous
and, in many cases, heroic performance earned them
increased combat opportunities and respect.
(8) The successes of the Tuskegee Airmen
proved to the American public that African-Ameri-
cans, when given the opportunity, could become ef-
fective military leaders and pilots. This helped pave
the way for desegregation of the military, beginning
with President Harry S Truman’s Executive Order
9981 in 1948. The Tuskegee Airmen’s success also
helped set the stage for civil rights advocates to con-
tinue the struggle to end racial discrimination dur-
ing the civil rights movement of the 1950’s and
1960’s.
(9) The story of the Tuskegee Airmen also re-
flects the struggle of African-Americans to achieve
equal rights, not only through legal attacks on the
system of segregation, but also through the tech-
niques of nonviolent direct action. The members of
the 477th Bombardment Group, who staged a non-
violent demonstration to desegregate the officer’s
club at Freeman Field, Indiana, helped set the pat-
tern for direct action protests popularized by civil
rights activists in later decades.
(b) PURPOSES.—The purposes of this Act are the fol-
lowing:
(1) To benefit and inspire present and future
generations to understand and appreciate the heroic
legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, through interpreta-
tion and education, and the preservation of cultural
resources at Moton Field, which was the site of pri-
mary flight training.
(2) To commemorate and interpret the impact
of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II; the
training process for the Tuskegee Airmen including
the roles played by Moton Field, other training fa-
cilities, and related sites; the strategic role of
Tuskegee Institute (Tuskegee University) in the
training; the African-American struggle for greater
participation in the United States military and more
significant roles in defending their country; the sig-
nificance of successes of the Tuskegee Airmen in
leading to desegregation of the United States mili-
tary shortly after World War II; and the impacts of
Tuskegee Airmen accomplishments on subsequent
civil rights advances of the 1950’s and 1960’s.
SEC. 3. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE TUSKEGEE AIRMEN NA-
TIONAL HISTORIC SITE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—There is hereby established as a
unit of the National Park System the Tuskegee Airmen
National Historic Site, in association with Tuskegee Uni-
versity, in the State of Alabama.
(b) DESCRIPTION.—The total historic site, after the
conditions are met for its full development and manage-
ment, and subsequent to agreements to donate land by
Tuskegee University and the city of Tuskegee, shall con-
sist of approximately 90 acres, known as Moton Field, in
Macon County, Alabama, as generally depicted on a map
entitled ‘‘Alternative C, Living History: Tuskegee Airmen
Experience’’, dated June 1998. Such map shall be on file
and available for public inspection in the appropriate of-
fices of the National Park Service.
SEC. 4. PROPERTY ACQUISITION.
The Secretary may acquire by donation, exchange, or
purchase with donated or appropriated funds the real
property described in section 3(b), except that any prop-
erty owned by the State of Alabama or any political sub-
division thereof or Tuskegee University may be acquired
only by donation. It is understood that property donated
by Tuskegee University shall be used only for purposes
consistent with this Act in commemorating the Tuskegee
Airmen. The initial donation of land by Tuskegee Univer-
sity shall consist of approximately 35 acres with the re-
mainder of the acreage to be donated by Tuskegee Univer-
sity after agreement is reached regarding the development
and management of the Tuskegee Airmen National Cen-
ter. The Secretary may also acquire by the same methods
personal property associated with, and appropriate for, the
interpretation of the historic site.
SEC. 5. ADMINISTRATION OF HISTORIC SITE.
(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall administer
the historic site in accordance with this Act and the laws
generally applicable to units of the National Park System,
including the Act of August 25, 1916 (39 Stat. 535), and
the Act of August 21, 1935 (49 Stat. 666).
(b) ROLE OF TUSKEGEE INSTITUTE NATIONAL HIS-
TORIC SITE.—Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
shall serve as the principal administrative facility for the
historic site.
(c) ROLE
OF TUSKEGEE UNIVERSITY.—Tuskegee
University shall serve as the principal partner with the
National Park Service, and other Federal agencies mutu-
ally agreed upon, for the leadership, organization, develop-
ment, and management of the historic site.
(d) ROLE OF TUSKEGEE AIRMEN.—The Tuskegee
Airmen shall assist the principal partners for the historic
site in fundraising for the development of visitor facilities
and programs, and provide artifacts, memorabilia, and
historical research for interpretive exhibits.
(e) DEVELOPMENT.—The general management plan
for the operation and development of the historic site shall
reflect Alternative C, Living History: The Tuskegee Air-
men Experience, as expressed in the draft special resource
study entitled ‘‘Moton Field/Tuskegee Airmen Special Re-
source Study’’, dated June 1998. Subsequent development
of the historic site, with the approval of Tuskegee Univer-
sity, shall reflect Alternative D.
(f) COOPERATIVE AGREEMENTS.—
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The Secretary may enter
into cooperative agreements with Tuskegee Univer-
sity, other nonhigher educational institutions, the
Tuskegee Airmen, individuals, private and public or-
ganizations, and other Federal agencies in further-
ance of the purposes of this Act. The Secretary shall
recognize the concern of Tuskegee University for the
wise management, use, and development of the his-
toric site, and shall consult with Tuskegee Univer-
sity in the formulation of any cooperative agreement
that may affect the historic site.
(2) TUSKEGEE AIRMEN NATIONAL CENTER.—
The Secretary may enter into a cooperative agree-
ment with Tuskegee University to define and imple-
ment the public/private partnership needed to de-
velop the historic site, including the Tuskegee Air-
men National Center on the grounds of the historic
site. The purpose of the center shall be to extend the
ability to relate more fully the story of the Tuskegee
Airmen at Moton Field. The center shall house a
Tuskegee Airmen Memorial and provide large exhibit
space for the display of period aircraft and equip-
ment used by the Tuskegee Airmen and a Tuskegee
University Department of Aviation Science. It is the
intent of the Congress that interpretive programs for
visitors benefit from the school’s active pilot training
instruction program, and that the training program
will provide a historical continuum of flight training
in the tradition of the Tuskegee Airmen. The
Tuskegee University Department of Aviation Science
may be located in historic buildings within the
Moton Field complex until the Tuskegee Airmen Na-
tional Center has been completed.
(3) REPORT.—Within one year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Secretary and
Tuskegee University, in consultation with the
Tuskegee Airmen, shall prepare a report on the
partnership needed to develop and operate the
Tuskegee Airmen National Center, and submit the
report to the Committee on Resources of the House
of Representatives and the Committee on Energy
and Natural Resources of the Senate. Subject to the
approval of the Congress, the Secretary and
Tuskegee University may enter into a cooperative
agreement to permit the development of the Center.
Before the balance of the land is donated and before
the development of the Tuskegee Airmen National
Center can proceed, a cooperative agreement accept-
able to the Secretary and Tuskegee University must
be executed.
(g) GENERAL MANAGEMENT PLAN.—Within 2 com-
plete fiscal years after funds are first made available to
carry out this Act, the Secretary shall prepare, with the
full participation of Tuskegee University, a general man-
agement plan for the historic site and submit the plan to
the Committee on Resources of the House of Representa-
tives and the Committee on Energy and Natural Re-
sources of the Senate.
SEC. 6. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated such sums
as may be necessary to carry out this Act.
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