JACKSON — Mississippians will have a chance to celebrate Tuskegee Airmen Day for the first time this March. A bill passed the Mississippi house and senate Friday to create the holiday. 

Rep. Becky Currie and Vince Mangold along with Sen. Jason Barrett both voted for the bill.

According to House Bill 124, the fourth Thursday of March will be recognized as Tuskegee Airmen Day. While the day is not a “legal holiday,” it will be designated as a day of reflection and celebration. 

The bill states “In recognition of the service, courage and sacrifice of the valiant service members of the Tuskegee Airmen who served during World War II, the fourth Thursday of March is designated as Tuskegee Airmen Day in Mississippi. This should be a day of  recognition and observation and shall not be recognized as a legal holiday.” 

According to Tuskegee University, there were 922 pilots in the Tuskegee Airmen and 16 to 19,000 servicemen in the Tuskegee program. Oliver M. Dillon of McComb was one of those 922 pilots and one of seven pilots from Mississippi. 

HB124 went into effect the day it was passed. Mississippi’s first Tuskegee Airmen Day will be on March 28, 2024.