THE RECEIPTS: HISTORICAL ARCHIVE

UNKNOWN FORTY-NINE is built on a foundation of truth. We don't just sell apparel; we correct the narrative.

There is a persistent myth that Black history is a story of "catching up." The documents below prove otherwise. They show that excellence was always there—it was simply unrecorded, unrecognized, or marked "UNKNOWN."

Below are the primary sources, official government records, and interviews that inform our designs and our mission.

📂 THE 1949 USAF WEAPONS MEET

The event where the Tuskegee Airmen (332nd Fighter Group) won "Top Gun" but were written out of history.

• Primary Source: 1949 USAF Fighter Gunnery Meet Score Sheets.

  • Source: 99th Air Base Wing Historian, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

  • The Fact: Confirms the 332nd Fighter Group (Temple, Stewart, Harvey, Alexander) won the Conventional Class with the highest total team score.

• Historical Analysis: Top Ten False Claims About the Tuskegee Airmen.

  • Author: Daniel L. Haulman, PhD, Air Force Historical Research Agency (2019).

  • The Fact: Clarifies that while the "Never Lost a Bomber" myth is exaggerated (they lost 27), their win at the 1949 Gunnery Meet is a verified historical fact.

• The Discovery: Heroes In War, Heroes At Home.

  • Author: Zellie Rainey Orr.

  • The Fact: Documents the discovery of the missing 3-foot silver trophy in 2004, which had been in storage for 46 years while the winners were listed as "UNKNOWN."

📂 EARLY AVIATION PIONEERS

Proof that Black innovation in aviation predates the modern Air Force.

• Patent No. 817,333: Airship Patent.

  • Inventor: Charles Frederick Page.

  • Date: Issued April 10, 1906.

  • The Fact: Page received his patent for an airship design more than a month before the Wright Brothers received their patent for the "Flying Machine."

🎙️ INTERVIEWS & CONVERSATIONS

Insights from the leaders and families keeping this legacy alive.

We are honored to have consulted with and interviewed the following individuals and organizations to ensure the accuracy of our storytelling:

• Ron & Alysyn Green: Custodians of the Legacy.

• Captain Willie Daniels II: Founder of Shades of Blue (Aviation Mentorship).

• LaVone Kay: Marketing Director, CAF Rise Above.

• CAF Rise Above: Organization dedicated to honoring the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots).

🚀 THE FUTURE

We look back to push forward.

• Victor Jerome Glover Jr.: NASA Astronaut, Pilot of the SpaceX Crew Dragon Resilience, and Pilot for the upcoming Artemis II lunar mission.

• Lt. Col. James Harvey III: The original 1949 winner who went on to act as the test subject for the F-102 pressure suit, enabling high-altitude flight for future astronauts like John Glenn.

🎓 OUR COMMITMENT

Skill Above Suppression.

To ensure the next generation of pilots does not remain "Unknown": 10% of all UNKNOWN FORTY-NINE net profits are directly donated to organizations dedicated to supporting and mentoring future Black aviators and leaders.