This community organized a RISE ABOVE Kick Off Ceremony and invited the mayors and council members, aldermen, and board members of the cities of Spencer, East Spencer and Salisbury, and the Rowan County Commission, along with all the sponsors of the event. Eleanor Qadirah and Vernon Robinson were the driving force in bringing the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit to this community.

They certainly had great media coverage with WBTV and WSOC-TV. The Salisbury Post also provided additional coverage with several articles talking about the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit. In addition, numerous web pages included messages about the Traveling Exhibit being in town.

There were many special guests including Tuskegee Airman Terry Bailey and his family, and Fred A. Wilson, son of Tuskegee Airman Fred O. Wilson. Vernon Robinson attended the opening ceremony on Wednesday. Additionally,numerous military organizations attended and were interviewed; mayors and elected officials participated in the activities as well.

Retired Army Flight Officer Terry Bailey said he never expected such a response to his Saturday appearance to shake his hand and share a word with one of the military pilots. A special honor awaited as Bailey entered the exhibit to view the film. Local opera singer Teresa Moore-Mitchell was on hand and performed the National Anthem. Later positioned in front of the exhibit, Bailey signed autographs, shook hands, told stories, and reminisced about his days as one of the original Tuskegee Airman.

Attendance: Estimated to be around 2,702 with 846 entries
Volunteers: Brian Moffitt – North Carolina Transportation Museum employee

For additional pictures from the Salisbury, North Carolina Event please visit

“I went to the exhibit on Saturday with my nephew who is 15. We were planning to see the George Lucas film and I wanted him to know the real – and reel – stories.

Your exhibit and the folks delivering the presentation were terrific. As we stood in line and waited for the next presentation, I was really amazed at the different types of people and all the ages represented that day.

Education is for a life-time and this exhibit and its message deliver a quality story in a very moving way.

I am a former teacher and now a filmmaker. The editing of the stories and archival images was really nice and using all the stories of both the airmen and Mr. Hines was moving.

Thank you for bringing this to North Carolina. We hope to see ya’ll again.”

best, Kathryn Frye

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“It was so moving and informative. Every school etc should have planned an outing to come see this. Plus the message “YOU CAN DO WHAT EVER YOU WANT!!!” is awe inspiring. As you can tell really enjoyed it.” Peggy Mangold

Our photo album can be viewed online here

We also had great media coverage that you can view at:
WBTV
Salisbury Post

Here is the link to Delta Air Lines YouTube video from the night of the event.

The guest speakers included former UN Ambassador, Atlanta Mayor and Delta Board member Andrew Young, a representative from Congressman John Lewis’(GA) office, Brad Lang, Col. Charles McGee, Delta COO Steve Gorman, and Scarlett-Pressley Brown, Director of External Affairs and Community Relations. Six original Tuskegee Airmen attended the event. The airmen were: Earl Martin, Charles McGee, Harold Brown, Val Archer, Edward Johnson and Norris Connally. There were over 200 Delta guests in attendance including Elijah Kelly from the Lucas film, “Red Tails”. The event also featured the Ron Clark Academy Choir.

The exhibit arrived on Sunday, Feb. 5th for setup and was filled with a captive audience throughout the week. Many patrons were emotionally moved and thanked our exhibit operators, Terry and Jeanette Hollis for doing a great job. We estimate that several hundred viewed the exhibit.

This is part of Delta’s effort to embrace and share with others diversity and celebrate Black History month. By inspiring others with great stories of American History, Delta has truly taken a great leap forward by showing how it is possible to truly become a global company. The RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit gives us the opportunity to make a difference in many communities.

Our season will be busy this year. Please check our events calendar on http://www.redtail.org/news-and-events/calendar/ and come out and see us ! Until then…

Keep your speed up !

Brad

Gomer, born in Iowa Falls, Iowa in 1920, dreamed of flying airplanes from the time he was a small boy. He took pilot training as a student at Ellsworth College in Iowa Falls before the war. In July 1942, he enlisted in the Army. The Army took note of his pilot training and sent him to Tuskegee Army Air Field in Alabama to take part in an experimental program launched by congressional order in March 1941.

Throughout February, Dakota County Library is hosting other programs celebrating Black History Month through the month of February. All of the programs are funded with money from Minnesota’s Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.

LiveAirShowTV has produced a story based on those interviews that tells the history of the program, and what some of these men had to face. It also looks at the new feature film, as well as the Rise Above Program from the Minnesota Wing of the Commemorative Air Force. This exhibit features a film produced by Adam White of Hemlock Films inside a travelling tractor-trailer. Along with the film, a rare P-51 C Model Mustang is on display, accompanied by one of its pilots. Bradford Lang is one of those pilots and he talks about the restoration and his special connection to the Tuskegee Airmen.

Click here to see the interview!

Millions of Americans for the first time will discover the history of these brave men who rose above obstacles in their lives to help defeat the Nazis overseas and “Jim Crow” segregation at home.

The CAF Red Tail Squadron believes the values of the Tuskegee Airmen are as relevant today as they were in World War II.

That’s why we restored a P-51C Mustang, “Tuskegee Airmen” and built the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit, that with your help will tour the nation in 2012 promoting the values and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.

Will you help?

Your donation of $30, $55, or $100 will help us sponsor a national tour of the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit.

In return, we’ll email you a Fandango.com gift certificate to purchase 1, 2, or 4 tickets (respectively) to the ‘Red Tails’ movie within 48 hours of your donation. Your gift will accomplish not just one, but two objectives:

1. You will be supporting the work of the CAF Red Tail Squadron, and;
2. You’ll be helping to make the ‘Red Tails’ movie a success at the box office, which will draw more attention to this movie and the heroism of the Tuskegee Airmen.

As a strong supporter of the CAF Red Tail Squadron’s mission to pass on the values of the Tuskegee Airmen and other military veterans, I know you share my excitement about the release of ‘Red Tails’.

Your support will keep our P-51C Mustang and the RISE ABOVE Traveling Exhibit on the road visiting over a million children a year at schools, Boys and Girls Clubs, and other venues.

If you want your tickets by opening night, donate by Monday, January 16th (Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday) and you’ll have your tickets emailed to you by Thursday, January 19th. If you don’t get a chance to give a gift before then, that’s okay! We’ll still send you a Fandango.com gift certificate to redeem at your leisure, as they do not have to be used opening night.

So please, respond to my call to action and experience the Tuskegee Airmen with us on the big screen. Make your donation today so we can help people ‘Rise Above’ tomorrow.

Bradford Lang
Proud son of a Tuskegee Airman
CAF Red Tail Squadron Leader &
Pilot of the P-51C Mustang

For full story, please click here

Reserve your tickets today!

If we get enough early reservations they will move the picture to the IMAX screen!

Mission Data:
Here the coordinates to the Marcus Oakdale Cinema.
After the movie, you are invited to join us in the mess hall at 
Axel’s Bonfire Wood Fire Cooking.

CAF Red Tail Squadron Leader Brad Lang holding the ICAS award

The program is built around a meticulously-restored P-51C Mustang painted in the squadron colors of the famed Tuskegee Airmen 332nd Fighter Group and an innovative tractor trailer that expands into a small, mobile theater at air shows, schools and other locations. The program encourages students to aim high, believe in themselves, use their brains, never quit, be ready to go, and expect to win.

From time to time, the ICAS Board of Directors votes to present its Special Achievement Award to an individual or organization that it would like to recognize for making a special contribution to the air show or aviation communities.

Red Tails Producer Rick McCallum, Actor Elijah Kelley, Marvona Welsh, Terry Hollis, Jeanette Hollis, Hemlock Films Producer Adam White, Kara Martinelli, Doug Rozendaal, Brag Lang, Alan Miller. Photo credit Clark Cook

Red Tails in US theaters January 20, 2012 starring Rick Otto, Tristan Wilds, Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr.

Click here for the Official Red Tails movie website.

Click here for the Official movie Facebook page.

Click here for the Twitter feed about the movie.

Click here to view the movie trailer.