Cecil Peterson collection on the Tuskegee Airmen
Collection Scope and Contents
The Cecil Peterson collection on the Tuskegee Airmen is contained within the Tuskegee Airmen Archive. This archive consists of material related to those individuals who served at Tuskegee Army Air Field, and its predecessors, as well as material pertaining to Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., a non-profit organization.
This collection consists largely of research material collected by Cecil Peterson on the Tuskegee Airmen and the units with which they were affiliated. Material relating to Peterson's personal life is present, and to a lesser extent there is material regarding African Americans and Military History. Peterson compiled an extensive collection of material on the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American pilots in the United States Army Air Corps. Information on personnel and military units associated with the training at Tuskegee Army Air Field and its predecessor training sites, race relations within the military, the Freeman Field Mutiny, the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. and Peterson’s personal and professional life are also included.
Dates
- Creation: 1916-2003, undated
- Creation: Majority of material found within 1940-1952
Creator
- Peterson, Cecil (Person)
Languages
The collection is in English.
Access
This collection is open for research.
Publication Rights
Copyright Unknown: Some materials in these collections may be protected by the U.S. Copyright Law (Title 17, U.S.C.). In addition, the reproduction, and/or commercial use, of some materials may be restricted by gift or purchase agreements, donor restrictions, privacy and publicity rights, licensing agreement(s), and/or trademark rights. Distribution or reproduction of materials protected by copyright beyond that allowed by fair use requires the written permission of the copyright owners. To the extent other restrictions apply, permission for distribution or reproduction from the applicable rights holder is also required. Responsibility for obtaining permissions, and for any use rests exclusively with the user.
Biographical Note
Cecil Peterson was orphaned at an early age and spent much of his boyhood in foster homes and institutions. His military experience included time as an enlisted man at Tuskegee Army Flying School in 1942 and 1943. He was in training and a part of base personnel before being shipped out for service on Guadalcanal. He re-entered the Army after World War II, was commissioned a Lieutenant and served in Korea.
During World War II, Eleanor Roosevelt requested the administrator of one of the institutions at which Cecil Peterson had resided to provide the name of someone in the service with whom she could correspond. This was the beginning of a long term relationship with the Roosevelt family.
After the war he completed his college work and had a career as a teacher. Peterson was active in local Los Angeles politics, notably Tom Bradley’s initial election to the Los Angeles City Council. He served on the Los Angeles County Commission on Obscenity and Pornography and as a member of the California State Senior Legislature.
Extent
40.77 Linear Feet (47 boxes)
Abstract
The Cecil Peterson collection on the Tuskegee Airmen is contained within the Tuskegee Airmen Archive. This archive consists of material related to those individuals who served at Tuskegee Army Air Field, and its predecessors, as well as material pertaining to Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., a non-profit organization.
This collection consists largely of research material collected by Cecil Peterson on the Tuskegee Airmen and the units with which they were affiliated. Material relating to Peterson's personal life is present, and to a lesser extent there is material regarding African Americans and Military History. Peterson compiled an extensive collection of material on the Tuskegee Airmen, the first African American pilots in the United States Army Air Corps. Information on personnel and military units associated with the training at Tuskegee Army Air Field and its predecessor training sites, race relations within the military, the Freeman Field Mutiny, the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. and Peterson’s personal and professional life are also included.
Collection Arrangement
This collection is arranged into 7 series as follows:
- Series 1. Personnel, 1939-1994, undated
- Series 2. Freeman Field mutiny, 1945, undated
- Series 3. Non-Military organizational records, 1973-1992, undated
- Series 4. Military history, 1943-1999, undated
- Series 5. African American history, 1916-1992, undated
- Series 6. Tuskegee Airmen related activities, 1941-1998, undated
- Series 7. Personal papers of Cecil Peterson, 1935-2003, undated
Acquisition Information
The Cecil Peterson collection on the Tuskegee Airmen was acquired as a gift in 2006.
Processing History
Processed by Chuck Wilson, University Archivist, 2010-2012.
Subject
- United States. Army Air Forces. Fighter Group, 332nd (Organization)
- United States. Army Air Forces. Fighter Squadron, 99th (Organization)
- Title
- Cecil Peterson collection on the Tuskegee Airmen
- Status
- Processed
- Author
- Finding aid prepared by Chuck Wilson, University Archivist.
- Date
- 2012
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Description is in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Manuscript Collections Repository
University of California
Rivera Library
P.O. Box 5900
Riverside 92517-5900 USA
specialcollections@ucr.edu