Courtesy of Anae Jackson
The “Rise Above” traveling exhibit about the Tuskegee Airmen has come to Tallahassee and is on display at the Million Air Hangar next to the Tallahassee International Airport until Saturday afternoon.
The exhibit honors the Tuskegee Airmen. The exhibit features a 30-minute video on a 160- degree panoramic screen and a display of a restored World War II F4U Corsair fighter plane.
Tallahassee OBGYN Dr. AJ Brickler has coordinated the exhibit along with the Commemorative Air Force traveling exhibit by Texas Flying Legends Museum for the past five years. Brickler’s objective is to enlighten young people to overcome every obstacle like the airmen.
“Anyone can overcome anything as long as they use the five P’s; plan, prepare, passion, preserve, and perform,” Brickler said.
Brickler visited the exhibit while traveling in 2000. He emphasized as a child he didn’t learn this in his schooling. The story inspired him to bring the display to Tallahassee.
Genae Crump of the LCS Title I Office, extends this event to the 20 title one schools in Leon County. Title I schools are classified as the lower economic sections of the county. Crump suggests students between the third and eighth grade visit the exhibit.
“Often times the way black people have impacted our history is missed, and this is a great way to show them how blacks impacted aviation,” said Crump.
Fourth grade teacher of Cealey Elementary Felisha Williams has been teaching for six years. This is her first year attending the attraction. She has been teaching her students Black History throughout the month. She has recently finished teaching them about the Tuskegee Airmen.
“Black history is not being taught as it should be through the course of the year,” Williams said. “This gives the opportunity to let my students know what they’re learning is real and they can actually see it.”
The group of students gasped in excitement has the movie and simulator played. Terry Hollis the tour manager for Triumph Over Adversity Rise Above said that he travels 40 weeks out of the year to see the reaction of the kids face.
The exhibit will be open to the public Saturday 9 a.m.– 4 p.m. The exhibit is free and all ages are welcomed. The exhibit will continue its tour in Florida traveling to Sarasota next.
To follow the CAF Red Tail Squadron visit, http://www.redtail.org/squadron/calendar/.