About Honoring Tuskegee Airman Lee Hayes

Join us as we honor the achievements and challenges of one of the country's first African-American airmen, WWII pilot Lee Hayes, of East Hampton. The Suffolk County Historical Society will present Mr. Hayes with an honorary plaque and Mr. Hayes will give a first-hand account of his unique experiences as an Army Air Corps bombardier.

In spite of adversity and limited opportunities, African Americans have played a significant role in U.S. military history over the past 300 years. They were denied military leadership roles and skilled training because many believed they lacked qualifications for combat duty. Before 1940, African Americans were barred from flying for the U.S. military. Civil rights organizations and the black press exerted pressure that resulted in the formation of an all African-American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1941. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen.