February is the month set aside to shine the spotlight on Black History – although this history should be celebrated all year long. We acknowledge that the record of people of colour in the RCAF has not always been a positive one. Entering WWII, RCAF policy did not allow Black Canadians to serve in most positions, however that slowly changed and some resilient Black Canadians did succeed in becoming aircrew. Below I have linked to some stories and articles about the Black experience in the RCAF in WWII. This was not a bright spot considering we were overseas fighting fascism. We can, however, celebrate the accomplishments of Black Canadians, who did make a difference. A few of these airmen are celebrated on our social media accounts, in particular we posted about two trailblazers, Lincoln Alexander, who later became the first Black MP in Canada, and the first Black pilot in the RCAF, Allan Bundy.
- This article traces the involvement of Black Canadians in the military.
- This is an academic paper examining racist policies and enlistment in the air force in WWII.
- This article is about the RCAF’s first Black pilot, Alan Bundy.
- A CBC article on discrimination and the fight to serve in WWII.
Commonwealth Air Training Plan Museum & RCAF WWII Memorial 