Name: Forgotten Souls
Price: 30.00 USD
Availability: PreOrder
Author: Cheryl W. Thompson
ISBN: 9781496750778

NPR investigative journalist and the daughter of a Tuskegee Airman, Cheryl W. Thompson explores the stories of the 27 Tuskegee Airmen – the Black pilots who fought for America in WWII – who went missing in combat, the lives they lived, the reasons their planes went down, why the remains of all but two were never found, and the impact their disappearances had on their families and communities.

In 1945, World War II ended one of the deadliest conflicts in history. Geared for battle were nearly 1,000 trailblazing Black pilots trained at the Tuskegee Army Air Field, an unrepentantly segregated facility in Alabama. Hailing from the Iowa cornfields to the Texas Gulf Coast to the tobacco plantations of North Carolina, the Tuskegee Airmen already proved, under the toughest circumstances, to be among the most resilient and defiantly patriotic men of the Army Air Corps.

27 of them disappeared during the final critical missions in Europe. So, too, would the government’s efforts to find them or help to bring closure to the loved ones that the valiant 332nd Fighter Group left behind.

In Forgotten Souls, award-winning investigative journalist Cheryl W. Thompson delves into the true stories of the Black combat pilots who faced unimaginable racism—before, during and after the war—from a military that told them they were less than, even as their courage and aviation prowess saved scores of White brothers-in-arms from the enemy and possibly death.

As cruel as war itself could be, the friends, family, communities and fellow Tuskegee Airmen who mourned the lost pilots never imagined how unforgivable it could get. After 80 years, Forgotten Souls honors the impact they made, and the sacrifices they endured on America’s behalf.

Praise for Forgotten Souls:

“Forgotten Souls is a family affair. Forgotten Souls isn’t about the airplanes; it’s about keeping memories safe. It’s a kitchen table with all the chairs pulled up and all the elders sharing their heartaches. Thompson keeps the record, and reading these men’s stories is one way to honor them and their families.” —BookPage

“Interviews with survivors, many now in their 90s, reveal intense feelings of pride and sorrow over the lives lost, and lingering anger over the shoddy treatment their loved ones faced in the U.S. and abroad. Poignant, bittersweet lives of unsung and overlooked American heroes.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Fast-paced and sobering, the stories illustrate the longing for closure and recognition that still plagues the families of the missing Tuskegee airmen all these years later. At times heart-wrenching and at times hopeful, Thompson hammers home the idea that the ones who leave us are never really gone.” —Booklist

“Through extensive research, family interviews, and compassionate storytelling, Thompson restores identity and dignity to men too often ignored by the very system they served. This powerful book blends history and humanity, revealing the personal stories behind each missing airman and the generations who still carry the weight of unanswered questions. It stands as a vital contribution to both WWII scholarship and African American history.” —Vintage Aviation News

“Forgotten Souls is a tenacious reporting journey that illuminates a part of American history too often relegated to the shadows. Its exploration ensures heroic men and women won’t be forgotten, starting with the author’s own father.” —Robert Samuels, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of His Name is George Floyd

“Gifted investigative journalist Cheryl W. Thompson utilizes her skills in tracing the deep and enduring mysteries of these lost Tuskegee Airmen who changed aviation history. Lost they may be, she nevertheless has given their descendants a gift of discovery in reminding us all of the heroism these Black pilots showed during battle.” —Wil Haygood, author of Showdown: Thurgood Marshall and the Supreme Court Nomination that Changed America

“Thompson restores to vivid life black men whose valor has gone unknown and uncelebrated for far too long.” —Leonard Pitts, Jr., Pulitzer Prize-winner and author of The Last Thing You Surrender

“Beautifully honors a group of American heroes whose courage and sacrifice have never been properly recognized. With exhaustive research and beautiful writing, Cheryl W. Thompson brings these brave men back to life—and charts the oppressive Jim Crow discrimination they had to overcome both before and after joining the segregated U.S. military.” —Eugene Robinson, Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist and author of Disintegration: The Splintering of Black America

“Forgotten Souls brings to life the forgotten stories of the valiant twenty-seven Tuskegee airmen who vanished without a trace during their World War II service in Europe. These courageous unsung heroes deserve their place in history now more than ever.” —Susan Tate Ankeny, author of American Flygirl and The Girl and the Bombardier

“As the daughter of a Tuskegee airman, investigative journalist Cheryl Thompson was inexorably drawn to the saga of the World War II fighter pilots who endured unspeakable racism and bigotry in their steadfast service to America’s fight against fascism. Now, in Forgotten Souls, Thompson has pieced together the poignant stories of her father’s comrades who went missing during the war, honoring their sacrifice in a beautiful work of loving remembrance.” —Gregg Jones, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author of Most Honorable Son: A Forgotten Hero’s Fight Against Fascism and Hate During World War II

Forgotten Souls

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