Members of the Tuskegee Airmen will come to the Rancho Cordova Library to give an “insightful presentation,” on the original airmen who served in World War II, said Evelyn Figeroid, Coordinator for Veterans Connect at the Rancho Cordova Library. Perry Woods, Vice President of the George “Spanky” Roberts Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen and Vice Commander of American Legion Post 709 proposed the program, which Woods referred to as a “profound event.”

The program will include a video documentary and panel discussion on the Tuskegee Airmen from 1 to 3 p.m., Saturday, April 29. The panel will discuss the history of the integration of African-American airmen into service as United States Air Force pilots, and their heroic efforts on behalf of the citizens of the United States.

The program will be held in the Community Room at the Rancho Cordova Library, 9845 Folsom Blvd., Sacramento. Light refreshments will be served.

The original Tuskegee Airmen were a group of around 1,000 black pilots and more than 15,000 black ground personnel who overcame segregation and discrimination to serve their country in the Air Force in World War II. The airmen trained at the Tuskegee Army Airfield, and received education at Tuskegee University in Alabama. Until that time, no official black aviators had been allowed in the United States Air Force. The Tuskegee program officially began June 1941 with the 99th Pursuit Squadron at Tuskegee University.

Boyd Taylor, 95, one of the original Tuskegee Airmen, is scheduled to be in attendance at the library with his wife, Gloria. Among those participating on the panel are Perry Woods, Vice President of the George “Spanky” Chapter and Vice Commander of American Legion Post 709, and James Coleman, WWII veteran who fought in Iwo Jima. Woods coordinated the program with Figeroid in order to bring the story to the public.

“I am so very excited to be offering this program to our community,” said Figeroid. “This is a story of heroics on many fronts.”