This poem was written by a student from the Ricks School at the University of Denver, Colorado after reading our booklet “Rising Above: Lessons of the Legendary Tuskegee Airmen”. The class submitted 20 poems and we will feature one poem per month.

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When I get to be a Tuskegee Airman,
I will face the cruel and wrong Jim Crow Laws.
I will fight against segregation.
I will help bombers out of tight situations.
I will paint my tail red.
I will wrestle with the controls.
I will see a friend parachute out of his plane.
I will hear my P-51, and think, boy it is loud!
I will smell the plane exhaust, P.U.
I will grip the steering stick tighter.
I can tell my hands are white.
I can feel the wetness of sweat.
I can taste double victory.
It would be great to be a Tuskegee Airman.

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