Tuskegee Airmen today, MLK tomorrow?

As Black History month 2025 has arrived, I ask myself: How long before this annual commemoration is shelved by politics? Due to the current political atmosphere any and all institutions, policies, commemorations, and educational programs that shed light on the contributions and history of African Americans will find themselves in the crosshairs of political annihilation.

Terms like DEI and “woke” have become politicized, subliminal anti-establishment buzz words that are being strategically flashed throughout the media to produce a certain negative perception in the minds of the people. The current climate is not conducive to favorably regarding the contributions of African Americans.

In an effort to comply with President Trump’s orders to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion training, the U.S. Air Force pulled a course about the Tuskegee Airmen. After receiving an enormous amount of backlash, they reinstated the course — though with “DEI material removed” as per the president’s order, according to the Air Force.

They wanted to erase the Tuskegee Airmen’s contributions and accomplishments from their training program. Is Black History Month next?  Is MLK Day next? Are we as African Americans next? 

Our history is being canceled out and shelved right before our eyes and a people with no recollection of their history is non-existent, absent, extinct. Marcus Garvey once said, “A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots.” 

Through understanding its roots, the African American community can unlock its potential for self-discovery, growth, and personal empowerment. In contrast, a disconnection from our roots and from our past can lead to feelings of non-existence, disorientation, and a lack of purpose. Without an understanding of where we come from, we risk losing touch with our values, traditions, and sense of belonging. We become susceptible to the winds of change and the influence of outside forces that may not align with our authentic selves. Then we are at the mercy of society’s shifting trends and self-serving ideologies that are not beneficial to the African American community — which is the sole purpose of the practice of eliminating, erasing, banning, and deleting Black History in any setting, form, or fashion through legislation or by executive order. 

Those who are proponents of contorting, diminishing, or even eliminating our contributions, fully understand that, through learning about our history, we carve out a space that grounds us, nourishes our souls, and fuels our aspirations. We would find comfort in knowing that we are part of a larger story, a tapestry woven from the threads of countless lives. By acknowledging the struggles and achievements of our ancestors, we would gain a sense of purpose and responsibility to carry their legacy forward.  Some day everyone will recognize the fact that we were never slaves — we were enslaved.

As African Americans, the knowledge of our history, origin, and culture is essential for our identity and growth as a people. People who are disconnected from their roots face an identity crisis, leading to a lack of direction and purpose. Just as a tree draws nourishment and stability from its deeply embedded roots, a community flourishes when grounded in its history. If America is honest with itself, erasing the history and contributions of African Americans was systematically in place well before the “Willie Lynch” concept.

If you witness what’s going on now, in this day and age and political climate, that systematic practice is resurfacing, whether its presence is obvious or subtle.  You will hear these same proponents of erasing and shelving Black History, hypocritically quoting Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.,  and when it comes to African American history and contributions, they will only acknowledge what’s palatable to them —what’s non-threatening, or watered down. They feel as though they have the authority to tell our story. That’s when it becomes “his – story” not history. 

So I ask the question: Tuskegee today, MLK tomorrow?

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