WORCESTER, Mass. - On Saturday, The EcoTarium opened a new traveling exhibit honoring the history of the Tuskegee Airmen, with one of the last surviving airmen in attendance.

Brig. Gen. Enoch ‘Woody’ Woodhouse, 96, was assigned to the Tuskegee Airmen when he was 19. Fighting in World War II, the squadron was the nation’s first group of African-American military pilots.

Making the rounds at the exhibit, titled "Aim High: Soaring with the Tuskegee Airmen," Woodhouse signed autographs, posed for photos, recalled decades-old memories, and urged children in attendance to "do their best."

“To see the eagerness in their faces and their desire to learn and the support of parents, it gives me courage and inspiration,” Woodhouse said. “I’m 96. In January, I'll be 97. So, there's hope for all of you listeners.”

The photos and memoirs displayed in the exhibit will help preserve the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen, but those who attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony on Saturday got to hear those stories firsthand from Woodhouse.

He also reflected on his life immediately following World War II, when he enrolled at Yale University.

He had previously told the Yale Alumni Magazine about hateful notes people would slip under his door, and other incidents of racism. He further explained the isolation he felt during this time on Saturday.

“I was in the class of 1952, I never saw a black person,” Woodhouse said. “Can you imagine? I never saw anyone that looked like me for four years. The only person who looked like me was when I looked in the mirror.”

Later in life, Woodhouse would begin to receive the recognition he deserved.

Along with other surviving Tuskegee Airmen, he received the Congressional Gold Medal from President George W Bush in 2007. He has also received several honorary degrees and a steady lineup of speaking engagements.

But even with all he’s seen in his lifetime, Woodhouse was in store for one more surprise on Saturday when Mayor Joe Petty presented him with a key to the city.

“I get a lot of plaques, quite a lot of certificates, and I've got a lot of medals,” Woodhouse said. “But never a key.”

The exhibit was created by the Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh in partnership with Hosanna House, Inc.

It will be on display at the Ecotarium until Jan. 21. It will then travel to Alabama, Virginia, Illinois and North Carolina before returning to Pittsburgh.

Of the 16.1 million Americans who served in World War II, fewer than 1% are still alive today. Of the roughly 1,000 Tuskegee Airmen, only a handful remain.