MTA New York City Transit (NYC Transit) has renamed its 100th Street Bus Depot in honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, the World War II African-American military pilots and support personnel who made up the famed flight-training program at Tuskegee Army Air Field. Over the years, 12 former Tuskegee Airmen have been employed in the NYC Transit system; two are still alive: Reginald T. Brewster and Noel R. Harris.

The dedication ceremony at the renamed Tuskegee Airmen Bus Depot included the unveiling of a bronze commemorative plaque newly installed in the entryway. A logo, bearing an artistic rendering of three Tuskegee Airmen and the red-tail P-40 Mustangs they flew, has been incorporated in the plaque, while depot signage has been installed and decals affixed to each bus assigned to the depot.

“The Tuskegee Airmen overcame so much to become one of the most highly respected fighter groups of the War, thanks to the numerous civil rights organizations that convinced the Army to create this iconic African-American pursuit squadron,” said MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota. “These heroes included pilots, navigators, bombardiers, maintenance, and support staff. We see a very similar dynamic at the bus depot: bus operators, mechanics, and other personnel all working together toward one common goal. That is what makes today’s dedication ceremony that much more special.”

The state-of-the-art bus maintenance and storage facility opened in 2003 with a total building area of 349,500 square feet on four fully enclosed floors and a mezzanine. It currently houses seven bus routes, 130 buses, and 460 employees.

Two former members of the Tuskegee Airmen—Reginald T. Brewster, foreground left, and Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, center—attend the renaming ceremony for NYC Transit’s 100th Street Bus Depot to the Tuskegee Airmen Bus Depot. At right is Darryl Irick, president of MTA Bus and senior vice president, NYC Transit's Department of Buses.