July 16, 2025
Black USAF Nonprofit Is Highlighting African Americans In The Air Force During The Cold War
The project, Black USAF: Cultural Connections in Cold War East Anglia, is led by Elma Glasgow.
There’s a new research project that aims to celebrate the untold stories of African Americans who served in the U.S. Air Force and personnel based in East England during the Cold War. The project, Black USAF: Cultural Connections in Cold War East Anglia, is led by Elma Glasgow. Glasgow is on a mission to tell the stories behind the Black men and women on these bases during that time. She says their stories have not been well-documented, and it’s time to give them a voice.
It’s personal for Glasgow. Growing up in Cambridgeshire, she grew up alongside U.S. Air Force personnel on the border with Suffolk. She told the BBC that she thought it “very normal” to go into the American airbases and “mingle with the Americans” as a child. It wasn’t until Glasgow left the area that she realized that it was a rare experience.
Sharing The Influence Of African American Air Force Members in East England
Glasgow is the founder of Aspire Black Suffolk, an award-winning nonprofit organization that’s on a mission to promote diversity, equality, and inclusion, while challenging inequalities through positive action. Recently, Glasgow was recognized and awarded the Museums Association Radical Changemaker Award for the Power of Stories Exhibition Tour. In partnership with Marvel and various organizations, the exhibition featured three original costumes from the Black Panther film. It was through this work that she realized she could help bring the stories of African American U.S. Air Force personnel to the forefront.
“Telling different aspects of Black history in the East of England is incredibly important because I think people have assumptions about the East — like it’s all tractors and sugar beet,” she told the BBC. “Actually, we have an incredible cultural history and a lot of that was created by the Americans who were based here, not just during the Cold War, but before that.”
For this project, Glasgow and her team want to hear from people who were living in the East of England during the Cold War period. Relatives can also share their experiences interacting with personnel for the new digital archive.
“We’d love to hear your stories of how you were influenced by African American airmen’s culture,” the prompt on the questionnaire reads. “Be it food, music, politics, religion, sport, or fashion, feel free to share your story below.”
Individuals interested in contributing their stories to the project can do so by visiting www.blackusaf.org/contact.
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