A Mississippi artist presented the Senate with a tribute to Tuskegee airmen Thursday morning in the Capitol.

A painting, titled “Surprise!” now hangs in room 201 inside the Capitol depicting a scene from Aug. 30, 1944 when several airmen attacked German fighter planes.

The art was painted and donated by Clinard “Clint” Martin, who said recognition for the Tuskegee Airmen was long overdue.

“This is something I had hoped to do before I leave this world and now it it done,” said the 74-year-old artist and historian.

Martin, who lives in Hattiesburg, said his uncle from McComb served during World War II as one of the African American aviators in the 332nd fighter group.

During the presentation ceremony, Sen. Terry Burton, R-Newton, the Senate president pro-tempore, thanked Clinton “for keeping this history alive.”

“These were certainly some great men, we had a lot of the top intellectual minds in the country who were accepted into that program and even then people said they would never be able to fly,” said Sen. John Horhn, D-Jackson. “It’s important that we remember that history, it is a great story of prevailing over great odds.”