
The 1986 Oscar-winning movieTop Gun made the Navy part of mainstream culture and repaired the military’s image after the Vietnam War. But this movie is a whitewashed version of one of the Blackest moments ever.
So while the Top Gun movies remain a staple of American pop culture, remember that white people were not the main characters of this story. It was us as usual, who saved the day both on and off screen. These men did exist and they're still real-life superheroes.
The real airmen demonstrate that no matter how great we make this country and show our excellence, racism still tries to make us disappear. But like these airmen, we all gotta stay fly in our Blackness – for the culture.