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I think it’s so fitting that we pay tribute to the Tuskegee Airmen on Dr. King’s birthday.

Before Dr. King dared to share his dream of a day when black people and white people were considered equal in this country, a group of black men and women had the audacity to dream – and believe – that they could fly. They didn’t stop with the dream, though. They put the work in and saw it through. From their tenacity, a rural air strip and a flight training program grew into historic Moton Field and an elite all-black squadron known as the Tuskegee Airmen.

The history, mystique and contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen has been documented in many forms, museums, books, cable TV movies and now through the new feature film, “Red Tails.”

But my knowledge of the Tuskegee Airmen came to me the old fashioned way – from my mama and daddy, Frances and Hercules Joyner. You see, I am the son of the Tuskegee Airmen program. My father and mother came to Tuskegee to be a part of history. My daddy was a cadet and my mom a secretary for one of the white commanders. My daddy had a car. My mama was part of his

carpool to Moten Field.

Like Robin Roberts and Fredricka Whitfield, whose daddies made it all the way through the program, there was undying sense of pride knowing that we were part of such a rich legacy. Growing up in Tuskegee, you were surrounded by black history and success stories like the role the Tuskegee Airmen played in World War II. It made a kid like me – and so many others – believe that there was absolutely nothing that we couldn’t accomplish through hard work.

Believe me, neither me, nor Lionel Richie, or many of the kids in my group distinguished ourselves as great students. What we did have was great role models and a can-do attitude that seemed to be everywhere. There’s something about seeing people who looked like you taking care of business, working as teachers and doctors, mechanics, scientists and college presidents. That builds your self-esteem. It’s a combination of pride, confidence and a desire to succeed.

We didn’t know it back then, but Tuskegee had swagger. I wish every child had the chance to live in a community that celebrated achieving the way Tuskegee did.

Read more at blackamericaweb.com

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