Throughout history, there was an enormous amount of racial discrimination in the United States before, during, and even after World War II. This type of racial discrimination occurred especially in the south. The United States, during this time, was also in the middle of segregation because of the Jim Crow Laws, which implied that africans were an inferior race. However, the view of African Americans started to change during World War II. These airmen were faced with many obstacles such as racism but were determined to overcome those obstacles. The Tuskegee airmen did the best that they could do to prove that they were worthy of the job and to give a better name for African Americans by giving them more respect. Their hard work during the war didn't just earn them a medal but also earned themselves honor/respect. The legend of the Tuskegee Airmen had its real life beginning on April 19, 1941. Eleanor Roosevelt was visiting Tuskegee and met the leader of the program, Charles "Chief" Anderson. She asked if Negroes could really fly and he responded by saying "Certainly we can; as a matter of fact, would you like to take a ride?" She accepted over all the objections of her secret service agents. Then Mrs. Roosevelt and "Chief" went for a half an hour ride in his Piper J-3 Cub. Upon touchdown, she replied "I guess Negroes really can fly." Then they took an historic photo together. Not long after this historic event, the War Department granted the founders $1,663,057 to begin the construction of the airfield (Black Knights, p.31). Then, on July 19, 1941, the Air force started to train black Americans as pilots at the Tuskegee Institute. During World War II the need for soldiers were highly needed in both the air and the ground. President Roosevelt's wife was a big asset in helping African Americans be involved in the war. She said " if America was already fighting so hard and making so many sacrifices in the war that if equality was not accomplished throughout this, those sacrifices would prove futile.  Eleanor thinks that we are already fighting a war with many other countries, we don't need to fight a war on racism as well. Since Eleanor's consistency on advocating equal rights and an end to discrimination, African Americans were able to serve significant roles in the war such as fighting in combat and many other roles. Without the help of Mrs. Roosevelt the Tuskegee airmen in Alabama probably wouldn't have been formed. President Roosevelt also thought that discrimination was a big issue in the armed forces. In Roosevelt's letter to Walter White he says "I share with you the thought that in our administration of laws respecting benefits for our veterans there must be assurance of equality of opportunity without regard to race, creed, color, or national origin ¦  (Roosevelt 1). He thought that the color