For Release: Sept. 3 , 2007
The contributions of the Tuskegee Airmen, including the wartime experiences of t wo former a irmen from Kentucky, are examined on the next Connections with Renee Shaw . The program air s Saturday, Sept. 8 at 3/2 p.m. CT on KET1 and Sunday, Sept. 16 at 11:30/10:30 a.m. CT on KET2.While there were 15,000 Tuskegee Airmen, less than a thousand were trained as pilots. Frank Weaver of Louisville and Bill Cornish of Lexington , both part of the ground crew during World War II, talk about being in awe of all the talented black pilots and how the Tuskegee experiment proved that all men could fly.
Recently, the Tuskegee Airmen have been receivin g some much overdue recognition, including Congressional Gold Medals for the surviving 300 A irmen, five of which are Kentuckians. And, o n Aug. 10 , Kentucky became the first state to officially name a roadway honoring the Tuskegee Airmen. A 23-mile stretch of Interstate 75 in Fayette County is now designated the " Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Trail. " \~
V iewers also meet Ron Spriggs, who has championed the preservation of the aviators ' contributions through lectures and a travelling exhibit of memorabilia . Spriggs talks about the recent accolades for the history-making men and women of the Tuskegee Airmen .
Connections with Renee Shaw is a KET production, produced by Renee Shaw and Carolyn Gwinn. Some Connections programs are available for on-demand videostream viewing at www.ket.org/connections. More about KET programming and education services, as well as how to support KET, can be found at www.ket.org.