On the first warm and sunny day of the year, Washington, D.C., Martin Luther King, Jr. Middle School principal Sharon Riggs needs one more substitute teacher. Victor Kennedy, the father of the schoolï s secretary, agrees to teach the seventh-grade American-history class for the day and tells the students about the Tuskegee Airmen. During World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen were the first black men allowed into combat, flying over 1,500 missions over the course of the war and winning a significant battle against segregation at home. Young readers will experiencefor themselves the triumphant pride of these men in serving their country.

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 landscape and portrait painter who works with oil, charcoal, and watercolor and has worked extensively as a graphic designer. This is her third book with Homan and Reilly. She also illustrated the late David Collins's last book, Clarence Thomas, Fighter with Words.