Last Friday evening, 16 December, was the ribbon cutting for the museum’s exhibit Tuskegee Airmen: A Proud Heritage. There were about 250 people at the event, including three original Tuskegee Airmen: Edward Johnson, Ray Williams, and LeRoy Eley. It was great seeing active-duty Airmen from Robins Air Force Base with those original Tuskegee Airmen. One of the young active-duty officers said it as well as anyone—the story of the Tuskegee Airmen is not about skin color, it’s about being a better American. We can all find inspiration and strength in the story of the Tuskegee Airmen as we face our own challenges in life.
Here’s a short video of the ribbon cutting:
Andrew Young, former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations and mayor of Atlanta, was the guest speaker at a dinner that followed the ribbon cutting. The dinner was sponsored by the Museum of Aviation Foundation and the Major General Joseph McNeil Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.
Educators can find a link to the Museum of Aviation Education staffs great Tuskegee Airmen Exhibit Teachers Guide by clicking this link.
(Back row) Capt William Williams and Maj Demetrius Brown from Robins AFB; original Tuskegee Airman LeRoy Eley; John Stewart, member of the Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., Atlanta Chapter; and 1st Lt Anthony Maxie and Maj Gen Bob McMahon from Robins AFB. (Front Row left to right) Original Tuskegee Airmen Raymond Williams and Edward Johnson.
Here are links to some of the local media coverage of the exhibit opening and visit by original Tuskegee Airman LeRoy Eley (in alphanumeric order):
13WMAZ
http://www.13wmaz.com/news/article/157185/153/Museum-of-Aviation-Honors-Tuskegee-Airmen
“Museum of Aviation Honors Tuskegee Airmen”
December 17, 2011
http://warnerrobins.13wmaz.com/news/news/63057-tuskegee-airmen-exhibit-opens-museum-aviation
“Tuskegee Airmen Exhibit Opens at Museum of Aviation”
By Lorra Lynch-Jones
December 14, 2011
See also http://www.13wmaz.com/video/default.aspx?bctid=1328291495001
38 WRWR
http://warnerrobinspatriot.com/view/full_story/16814616/article-Tuskegee-Airman-visits-Warner-Robins?
“Tuskegee Airman visits Warner Robins”
By Hollie Thrasher
December 17, 2011
41 NBC
http://www.41nbc.com/news/local-news/9512-tuskegee-airmen-visits-museum-of-aviation
“Tuskegee Airmen Visits Museum of Aviation”
December 16, 2011
Macon Telegraph
http://www.macon.com/2011/12/17/1827829/living-legacy.html
“Robins airmen honor role of Tuskegee pilots”
By Wayner Crenshaw
December 17, 2011
http://www.macon.com/2011/12/16/1827158/tuskegee-airmen-pilot-visits-museum.html
“Tuskegee Airmen pilot visits Museum of Aviation”
By Wayne Crenshaw
December 16, 2011
Warner Robins Patriot
“Museum plans Dec. 16 Tuskegee Airmen gala”
By Gene Rector
November 28, 2011The Warner Robins Patriot
– Mike Rowland, Curator
