University Newsletter
Historical Marker Unveiling August 25 to honor Major Charles B. Hall, Tuskegee Airman and EIU Alum
The Coles County Historical Society invites EIU students, staff, faculty and interested members of the general public to attend the Historical Marker Unveiling in honor of Major Charles B. Hall, Tuskegee Airman and EIU Alum. The unveiling will take place at 4 p.m. Tuesday, August 25 at the corner of Fourth Street and Garfield Avenue on EIU's campus, just north of Coleman Hall.
Charles B. Hall became the first African-American student-athlete at Eastern Illinois when he enrolled in the fall of 1938. He lettered in football and track and helped the Panthers football team to a combined 9-6-1 record in the 1938 and 1939 seasons. On his way to a great career as a halfback for the Panthers, he decided to put school and athletics on hold for a greater cause. He left EIU in the spring of 1941 to join the United States Army Air Corps. Hall was sent to Tuskegee Army Air Field in 1942 where he received his pilot’s wings on July 3. Hall joined the 99th Pursuit Squadron and was sent to North Africa on April 15, 1943. Almost three months later on July 2, 1943 Hall made history by becoming the first African-American fighter pilot to shoot down a German plane during World War II. This distinction brought visits by several generals including the commander of U.S. forces in Europe and future president Dwight D. Eisenhower.
Despite his sudden fame, Hall did not forget the students of Eastern Illinois or the citizens of Charleston. He wrote a statement in a letter dated December 21, 1943, available in this feature at EIUPanthers.com. An excerpt:
“Up in the blue it doesn’t make any difference where you come from, what color you are, etc.
I can appreciate the land, sea, engineers, cooks, nurses, Red Cross, tanks,
defense workers, people buying bonds and a thousand and one other things.
I look at them and say this is worth fighting for.”
Hall eventually flew nearly 200 missions over Africa, Italy and other parts of Europe and shot down three enemy planes before returning home.
Hall received numerous awards and honors over his lifetime and since his death in 1971. Hall was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (the first African-American to earn the honor), the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, a portrait in the Military Hall of Fame, a memorial statue in his home town of Brazil, Indiana and the Oklahoma City Chapter of the Tuskegee Airman Inc. is named after him.
