®l|e 'Portiani* ffibecruer
February 20, 2002
spedai
edition
Black History
2002
A N A M E R IC A N S T O R Y
Page A7
NEXT PUBLICATION DATE: February 27
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IXiskegee Airmen Fought the Enemy in Nazi Held Europe
by
sudden death in the air, we con
fronted a two front war and
defeated both enemies to the
human spirit. Tenacity of the
Tuskegee Airmen in combat en
sured that no American bomber
fell to enemy fighters while en
trusted to their escort.
The Tuskegee Airmen taught
our society that change is not
only possible, but inevitable. We
triggered a series of events that
led to the desegregation of the
United States military, that in
turn set the stage for the seis
mic civil rights struggles of the
1960s.
The battles waged by the
Tuskegee Airmen in the air war
against Nazi fighters are long
over. Black History month
teaches us that our nation’s
struggle to be a true equal op
portunity society was made
possible, in part, through the
“air cover” provided by the
Tuskegee Airmen.
C olonel L ee A rcher
February is Black History
month and the lessons that were
carved out of the carnage of
World War II remain very much
relevant to the African-Ameri
can of the 21s' Century.
In the segregated society of
the 1940s, the vast majority of
patriotic African-Americans
were relegated to non-combat
tasks that ranged from graves
registration to stevedores. It lit
erally took a Presidential order
to mandate that African-Ameri
can combat units, albeit, segre
gated ones, be allowed to take
the fight to the enemy.
The most dramatic example
of their success was found
among the Tuskegee Airmen,
fighter pilots who trained in the
heart of segregated America,
Tuskegee, Alabama. Given tired,
obsolete fighters, often shack
led to indifferent, even hostile
white superior officers, we
were sent to confront the battle
hardened pilots o f Nazi
Germany’s dreaded Luftwaffe.
Yet despite the obstacles, in
cluding segregation at home and
Colonel Lee Archer is seated in a replica o f the original P-51
Mustang that was used to down five enemy aircraft during
World War II.
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In C e le b r a tio n o f
B la c k H is to r y M o n t h
Black History Month
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“If you lose hope, somehow you lose the vitality that
keeps life moving, you lose that courage to be, that
quality that helps you go on in spite of it all. And so
today I still have a dream.’’
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
The Trumpet o f Conscience
A fter enduring years of being ( ailed "G eorge "
WE WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE THEM BY THEIR REAL, NAMES. •
The City of Portland, Multnomah County and the
Port of Portland proudly honor the
accomplishments of Black Americans and their
contributions to our economic and social equity.
join The Portland Observer in saluting...
Black History Month
American fam ily Insurance is a proud sponsor of the Pullman Porters National Historic
Reqistry which is the historic reqistry of African-American Railroad employees from 186) to 1969 We salute those
men of the Brotherhood of the Sleepinq (a r Porters labor union. If you, a family member, or a friend were formerly
a Pullman Porter or Oininq (ar Waiter, we ask that you reqister online at www.aphiliprandolphmuseum.tom
or rail 1-8 8 8 -WeO-811) to help us acknowledqe these couraqeous men of history.
For Information on contracting and program* for Minority-owned firms, call or contact ui online:
CITY OF PORTLAND
MULTNOMAH COUNTY
Bureau of Purchases Buyllne: (503) 823-6855
www.dportland.or.us/purchaseZpurchasehtm
Herman Brame: (5 03 ) 988 5111 E x t 24266
www.co.multtmmah.or.us/contracts
PORT OF PORTLAND
FaxBack Une: (5 0 3 )9 4 4 -7 5 9 2
Rhonnda Edmtston: (5 0 3 )9 4 4 -7 5 8 7
www.portofportland.com
i
Tune into SHOWTIME lor
“10,000 BLACK MEN NAMED GEORGE”
Premiering Sunday, February 24, at 8 PM ETPT
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