Tuskegee Airmen: American HeroesLynn M. Homan and Thomas ReillyIt's an unseasonably warm winter's day, and the teachers of Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School are nowhere to be found. Elderly Victor Kennedy is called in to teach seventh-grade American history. As the students take their seats, Mr. Kennedy writes one word on the board: Tuskegee.Mr. Kennedy teaches his students about the America he grew up in: an America very different from the one his students know. Laws enforced segregation. African Americans were limited to menial jobs that offered no hope of a better life.When World War II struck, every able-bodied man was needed for the defense of the nation, regardless of the color of his skin. In 1941, young black men began training at the Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama, despite those who said that African Americans weren't smart enough to operate anything as intricate as an airplane.Mr. Kennedy's students, learning of segregation for the first time, eagerly listen to the story of the Tuskegee Airmen. Mr. Kennedy teaches them about the brave men who flew the death-filled skies of World War II and fought the deeply-engrained racism of their hometowns.Authors Lynn M. Homan and Thomas Reilly bring extensive experience in historical research, writing, and creative design to their work. They have written thirteen books together, including Black Knights: The Story of the Tuskegee Airmen and The Tuskegee Airmen Story, both available from Pelican Publishing. Their work has been featured in such publications as the North Carolina Historical Review and in exhibits in several museums.Illustrator Rosalie M. Shepherd is a well-known landscape and portrait painter, employing oils, acrylics, charcoal, and watercolors. Her work has been featured in the Peabody Language Development kit.