Tuskegee Institute now known as Tuskegee University is a college for African American students founded by Booker T. Washington. When the U.S. entered WWII in 1941 pressure from Congress and African American organizations caused the Army Air Corps to accept black men into flight training.
The Tuskegee Airmen were pilots of the 332nd fighter group. Colonel Benjamin O. Davis Jr., who later became the first 3 star general and first African American general in the United Air Force, was the commander. This all African American group of 450 men had to work hard to be named an elite fighter group as racial discrimination had held them back from this title. The 332nd was made of the best members of the 99th, 100th, 301st, and 302nd fighter squadrons. They escorted bomber pilots to bombing missions in Ramitelli, Italy and other European cities. They painted the tails of their P-40, P-39, P-47, and P-51 planes so that Allied bomber troops could recognize them. This is how they got the nicknames "Redtail Angels" and "Little Friends". Through more than 700 missions the Tuskegee Airmen never lost one bomber pilot to the Axis. They also brought down 111 enemy fighters. Their courage, bravery, and success earned the Tuskegee Airmen: 744 Air Medals and Clusters, 100 Flying Crosses, 14 Bronze Stars, 8 Purple Hearts, 1 Silver Star, and 1 Legion of Merit. Since then the government restricted segregation in the military.

http://www.allstar.fiu.edu/aero/images/tuskegee02.gif

Thanks to: http://www.loc.gov/exhibits/treasures/trm116.html
           http://www.grunts.net/afamerican/332ndfg.html
               Klam, Julie World War II Chronicles: Air War 
        Alton Thornsby Jr. "Tuskegee Airmen" World Book Encyclopedia