American Airlines to Honor Tuskegee Airmen in Recognition of Black History Month
February 01 2016 - 8:30AM
American Airlines is marking Black History Month by paying tribute
to the Tuskegee Airmen with an exclusive screening of the
award-winning documentary “The Luft Gangster: Memoirs of a Second
Class Hero” at the company’s C.R. Smith Museum.
A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
http://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/41046fdf-5a83-4524-bcc0-4a89c6eb43d0
“The Luft Gangster” has not been released to the public, but the
American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum, in partnership with the
Airpower Foundation and several of American’s Employee Business
Resource Groups (EBRGs), will host an invitation-only screening on
Wednesday, Feb. 3. In attendance will be American Airlines Capt.
Eugene Richardson, III, who is the son of Tuskegee Airman Eugene J.
Richardson, Jr.; Gwenelle Spann, the widow of Tuskegee Airman Lt.
Calvin Spann; and American Airlines President Scott Kirby.
The film chronicles the life and struggle of retired Lt. Col.
Alexander Jefferson, a Tuskegee Airman and former prisoner of war.
During World War II, Lt. Col. Jefferson, now 93, fought for his
country and was taken as a POW by the German Army. When he was
released and returned home at the end of the war, he encountered
racism, bigotry and segregation.
“The unsung and unappreciated heroes like my father have allowed
me to enjoy an amazing career in aviation,” said Capt. Eugene
Richardson, whose story is featured in the February issue of
American Way. “I’m proud to honor him and his fellow Tuskegee
Airmen by sharing their story with the next generation of aviation
professionals.”
Students from the Irving High School ROTC will perform a
presentation of colors at the Wednesday event. American and the
Airpower Foundation will also screen the documentary at Grapevine
High School and Colleyville Heritage High School on Wednesday.
Throughout the month of February, American’s in-seat inflight
entertainment systems will showcase critically acclaimed African
American films and TV programs, including “The Luft Gangster.”
Additionally, on Saturday, Feb. 20, as part of the Saturday at
the Smith program series, the C.R. Smith Museum will hold its sixth
annual Celebration of Black Aviation featuring author and historian
C.B. Rice. American’s African American Diversity Network EBRG will
host local students at the event.
American is also a proud sponsor of The HistoryMakers, which
since 1999 has worked to preserve and make widely accessible the
untold personal stories of both well-known and unsung African
Americans. The HistoryMakers’ one-of-a-kind archives are now housed
in the Library of Congress, providing future generations a
first-hand look into the lives of many who have helped shape our
nation. In March, American will debut HistoryMakers
episodes in its in-seat entertainment offerings, giving
customers access to a portfolio of video oral histories of
prominent African Americans, starting with “An Evening with Berry
Gordy.”
American has long been recognized for its diversity efforts,
including being named in the 2015 Black EOE Journal’s Best of the
Best for Top Diversity Employers, Top Supplier Diversity Programs
and Top LGBT Employers. Additionally, the airline’s Diversity
Advisory Council was named one of the top 25 councils in the nation
for the seventh consecutive year and American recently received the
highest possible rating in the Human Rights Campaign’s Corporate
Equality Index for the 14th consecutive year.
About American Airlines Group
American Airlines and American Eagle offer an average of nearly
6,700 flights per day to nearly 350 destinations in more than 50
countries. American has hubs in Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/Fort
Worth, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Philadelphia, Phoenix, and
Washington, D.C. American is a founding member of the oneworld
alliance, whose members and members-elect serve nearly 1,000
destinations with 14,250 daily flights to 150 countries. Shares of
American Airlines Group Inc. trade on Nasdaq under the ticker
symbol AAL. In 2015, its stock joined the S&P 500
index. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir and at
Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines.
Corporate Communications
817-967-1577
mediarelations@aa.com
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