Title
To Honor and Commend the “Living Legends of the Skies: The Tuskegee Airmen” as they are celebrated at the 6th Annual Legends & Legacies Awards Ceremony & VIP Reception on Thursday, November 8, 2012 at The King Arts Complex
Body
WHEREAS, The King Arts Complex will celebrate the 6th Annual Legends & Legacies Awards Ceremony & VIP Reception, “Living Legends of the Skies: The Tuskegee Airmen”, Thursday, November 8, 2012 7:00 p.m. in the Pythian Theater; and
WHEREAS, This year’s honorees will be eight Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen from Ohio; amazing individuals who are the heroes and pioneers of equality, triumphing over adversity and rising above obstacles; and
WHEREAS, The eight honorees are Thomas Austin (East Cleveland, OH), Charles I. Williams (Dayton, Ohio), Harold Brown (Hilliard, OH), Charles Feaster (Xenia, OH), Robert L. Harvey Sr., (Dayton, Ohio), Hilton Carter Jr., (Columbus, Ohio), Paul Menefield (Columbus, Ohio), and Donald E. Elder (Columbus, Ohio). The legacy of these courageous airmen continues to inspire and motivate new generations to follow their dreams; and
WHEREAS, The Tuskegee Airmen were the first African-American military aviators in the United States Armed Forces who were subjected to racism and segregation, both within and outside the Air Force. Despite these adversities, they trained and flew with distinction; and
WHEREAS, Before 1940, African Americans were barred from flying for the U.S. military. Civil rights organizations and the black press exerted pressure that resulted in the formation of an all African-American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1941. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen; and
WHEREAS, Legends and Legacies recognizes the ancestral continuum of the rich and diverse contributions of Americans by paying tribute to local, regional & national individuals that have shown their commitment to freedom through social justice, human rights, cultural democracy, artistic excellence and service...
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