In 2011, Doug Melville attended an advance screening of George Lucas’s film, "Red Tails," a retelling of the Tuskegee Airmen and the heroic exploits of the elite African-American fighter pilots during World War II.
Seeing the film led Melville to investigate and trace his own family’s history. He soon discovered the achievements of his great/grand uncles – Benjamin O. Davis, Sr. and Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. - had been largely unrecognized throughout history because of their race.
“After I watched 'Red Tails,' my dad told me the story and I began researching it,” Melville said, adding that it was hard for him to understand why he’d never heard the story before.
The Davis’ are father and son. Davis Sr. was the first Black general in American history. Davis Jr. was a Tuskegee Airman and America’s second Black general. Melville tells their story in his recently released book, Invisible Generals: Rediscovering Family Legacy and a Quest to Honor America’s First Black Generals.
“We didn’t talk about the past when I was growing up,” he explained. “It was always what’s next, what do you want to be?”
The film also spurred Melville’s father to open up about the family’s past. Davis Jr. raised Melville’s father from the time he was 7 years old – while he commanded the Tuskegee Airmen.
“Everything was invisible,” explained Melville. “Stay silent, don’t raise your hand.”
Melville recalled visiting Davis, Jr.’s apartment in Arlington, Virginia when he was a child. Melville said there was no military insignia in the apartment and that conversation revolved around politics.
However, the family would go to nearby Andrews Air Force Base for Thanksgiving dinner and other events, Melville said. Davis Jr. also played golf on military courses.
“I knew he was in the military and I knew that he was someone of importance by how we would talk, but we just never talked about it,” he said. “I probably found out he was a pilot when I was in high school.”
Melville said Davis Jr. did a lot for him as he grew up, including buying his first car and first computer. Melville was on hand at the White House in 1998 when Davis Jr. when he pinned on his fourth star.
“I was just graduating college and getting my first job, so family, you just don’t look at it like that,” he said.
Years later, after the film and discussions with his father Melville began visiting websites and museum archives in his quest to discover his family’s hidden legacy. Melville said finding Davis Jr.’s archives at the Smithsonian was an eye-opener.
He learned more about Davis Sr. through the Army War College in Pennsylvania.
“I didn’t know where his archives were,” Melville said. “No one really talks about him being the first Black general, but if there’s no Ben Davis Senior, there’s no Ben Davis Junior.”
To learn more about the book, visit here.
Reach Julia LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.