Tuskegee Airmen Film ‘Red Tails’ to Hit Theaters

Bethany Whitfield

Wednesday, January 11, 2012 at 12:13 AM ET

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Key Takeaways:

The upcoming film "Red Tails," produced by George Lucas and starring Cuba Gooding Jr. and Terrence Howard, chronicles the historic journey of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American pilots in the Army Air Forces during World War II.
The movie highlights the significant discrimination these pilots faced both during their training in Alabama and while serving in Europe.
George Lucas personally invested $58 million and over 20 years to bring the Tuskegee Airmen's story to the big screen.
The Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site plans to offer extended tours during the film's premiere weekend, aiming to attract visitors sparked by the movie.

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The Tuskegee Airmen and their historic journey are coming to the big screen in the movie Red Tails, slated to hit theaters next Friday.

Directed by Anthony Hemingway and produced by George Lucas, the film chronicles the lives of the first African Americans to complete pilot training for the Army Air Forces during World War II. The film centers upon the members of the 332nd fighter group as they face discrimination both at home, during their training at Moton Field, Alabama, and abroad, as they escort bombers during raids in Europe.