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1/12/07
Legendary Tuskegee Airmen to Celebrate
40th Anniversary of Boys & Girls Club of Broward County |
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1/5/07
Tuskegee Heroes honor 40 year history of Boys and Girls Club. |
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1/2/07
Cleveland Filmmaker Partners With PBS to Premier Movie About Tuskegee Airmen,
Only African American WWII Pilots |
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12/23/06
Mn/DOT Office of Aeronautics donates children’s book titled “Don Hinz and the Red Tail Project” |
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12/20/06
Tuskegee Airmen defend record at ceremony. |
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12/11/06
Exclusive: Experts dispute Tuskegee Airmen's perfect record |
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11/15/06
The final OTA design of the medal has been forwarded to the Secretary of Treasury |
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11/13/06
Charity Auction raises nearly $50,000 for Red Tail Project, Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County |
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News
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The
goal of the Red Tail Project is to educate people, especially
young people, to the sacrifices, historic and unmatched
accomplishments of the Tuskegee Airmen. To help accomplish
our mission of attaining that goal we have created this
background information and press material for members
of the media to use in understanding the mission of the
Red Tail Project.
The Tuskegee Airmen
In 1940 a "White's Only" sign not only kept
Blacks out of rest rooms and restaurants it also applied
to cockpits of America's military aircraft. But under
intense social and political pressure the Army established
experimental aviation training units for Blacks at Tuskegee,
Alabama. The Army wanted to put to rest at last the question
of Blacks' ability to operate sophisticated equipment,
fight courageously in battle, or assume positions of authority.
The goal of these aviators then was to prove that black
men could fly and fight as well as any other American.
But their first battle was to fight for the most basic
human rights of dignity and respect. As the leader of
the Tuskegee Airmen, Col. Benjamin O Davis, Jr. said "
With the enemy I knew that I only had to die once. In
the Army Air Corps and in life I had to live with the
day to day suffering of degradation and racism."
Nearly 1000 Black pilots received segregated training
at Tuskegee, Alabama while over 10,000 Black maintenance
personnel trained under similar conditions at Chanute
field in Illinois. Over 550 pilots and their crews trained
as bombers but the war ended before they were deployed
overseas. The remaining 445 fighter pilot airmen and their
crews operated as segregated combat units in Europe, the
Mediterranean and North Africa flying in raids such as
Anzio Beach and the Ploesti Oilfields. With their aircraft
tails painted bright red to identify themselves the "Red
Tails" carried the hopes and dreams of their thirteen
million African American countrymen into battle.
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The Red Tail Project
The Tuskegee Airmen and their crews became accomplished
pilots and technicians against great odds. Following the
war they had to again overcome many of the same adversities
to reach their personal goals. The Tuskegee Airmen have
forged a path of success and in doing so have become excellent
role models. They have expressed similar goals time and
again in the years since the war: encourage youth to follow
their example in achieving their dreams. The Red Tail
Project was founded to assist in reaching that goal.
Red Tail Project Mission Statement: "Restore an inspirational
symbol representing the contributions of African Americans
during WWII and preserve this history through an Aviation
Education Program."
Although the Tuskegee Airmen flew many types of aircraft
the North American P51C Mustang is considered their signature
aircraft. The Red Tail Project has restored one of only
two flying "C" models in existence. This mustang,
serial # 42-64129, has been restored by the Project as
a symbol that recognizes the Tuskegee Airmen contributions
to our nations freedom. The aircraft will be a "museum
without walls" as it tours the country celebrating
this rich history.
The projects education goal is to provide an opportunity
for the public to meet the Tuskegee Airmen and hear their
stories. The air show venue provides a unique opportunity
to present to the public not only the sight and sounds
of this historic aircraft but more importantly to meet
the people who actually flew the aircraft, hear their
stories first hand, and learn this untold history. These
are stories from, and about, heroes that parents want
their children to hear and be aware of; stories of courage,
patriotism, and perseverance.
The appearance of the P51C Mustang, "TUSKEGEE Airmen",
the presence of local original Tuskegee Airmen, pre-air
show media interviews, and air show booth autographing
create new possibilities for marketing an air show. This
becomes a story that is truly not about the aircraft.
It is rather a patriotic history lesson providing local
government, military, and social organizations the opportunity
to publicly acknowledge and pay tribute to these unheralded
Americans. It allows children to shake the hands of heroes,
hear their history and learn how they fought both racism
and fascism. The Tuskegee Airmen breathe a human touch
into the aircraft's appearance.
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Our goal is to inspire youth. As Tuskegee Airmen General
Daniel "Chappie" James said to America's young:
"You be prepared with your bags of knowledge, your
patriotism, your honor, and when the door of opportunity
opens, you charge in."
There is a press kit CD available. The press kit includes
the pdf files below as well as several more containing
additional information. It also contains several interviews
done at the unveiling of the airplane in 2001. Unfortunately,
due to the technical limitations of the web we are unable
to provide everything through this medium. There is also
additional information on the education mission page.
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