Lt. George Knox. 332nd Fighter Group training at Selfridge Field, Michigan ("Fighters up! And good luck.") 1943

This photograph of Lt. George Knox was taken by Gordon Parks during World War II at Selfridge Field, Michigan. Parks, a groundbreaking Black photographer, captured Knox as part of a series documenting the 332nd Fighter Group, also known as the Tuskegee Airmen. These airmen were the first African American military aviators in the U.S. Army Air Corps, formed at a time when the military was still racially segregated. Despite facing pervasive discrimination and skepticism about their abilities, the Tuskegee Airmen distinguished themselves through their exceptional skill and bravery. Parks’s image disrupts the visual culture of the time, offering an alternative narrative of Black Americans serving their country with honor and competence. The soft light on Knox’s face and his confident expression speaks to the quiet determination of these men. Parks himself experienced racism throughout his life and career, which fueled his commitment to documenting the Black experience in America. This photograph serves as a powerful testament to the courage and resilience of the Tuskegee Airmen. It asks us to reflect on the complexities of identity, duty, and the struggle for equality in a nation at war.