Fantastic story, MT! I wish someone had done the same for me years ago. My high school (I graduated 11 years ago, by the way) has a row of photos in the main hallway of distinguished graduates. Some went out to pro sports, some went into politics, and some had distinguished military careers. One of the photos on the wall was of a black officer in the USAF in his dress blues and one of him in his younger days in the USAAF with his plane. I am not sure I ever really read the name on the photo, or if I did it never really stuck with me. There wasn't a writeup on the photo or anything that you could read, it just had a little name plate under it, so I never knew why that particular photo was up there or what real significance it had beyond someone from my high school flew in WWII.
Anyways, a few years later I did learn a little about the Tuskegee Airmen from one source or another. Then the movie came out, and I learned some more, but still didn't think about the picture on the wall. Then earlier this year, our newspaper ran some stories on locals that fought in WWII, and mentioned the guy in the photo in my high school. Not only did the guy fly for the 332nd, but he continued on to have a very impressive career in the USAF.
I'm very proud to say that Chappie James and I graduated from the same high school (though in very different circumstances and different buildings.) I'm proud that my school has a photo of him in the hall, but I'm ashamed they never taught us about him, or even of the Tuskegee Airmen during any history classes. I'm embarrassed that I didn't know of the connection with my school until just a few months ago.