DAYTON, Ohio -- Frederick D. Gregory, retired Air Force Colonel and former NASA Astronaut, will lead a panel discussion following the screening of In Their Own Words: The Tuskegee Airmen, a 90 minute documentary which tells the story of America's first squadron of African American pilots. The panel will include Lt. Col. George E. Hardy, one of the famous Tuskegee Airmen, Christina Anderson, Granddaughter of Chief Anderson (Ground Commander and Chief Instructor- Tuskegee Airmen), Bryan Williams, Film Producer and Denton Adkinson, Film Director, all sharing unique insight into this historical anniversary. The Air Force Museum Theatre will host the event on February 20th beginning at 4 p.m. The theatre is located inside the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
In addition to the panel discussion the film is complete with emotional interviews, rare photographs and computer-generated recreations, the film chronicles the Tuskegee Airmen story from the rocky start in 1941 to their acceptance of the Congressional Gold Medal in 2007. 2016 will mark the 75th anniversary of the inauguration of the U.S. Army Air Corps 99th Pursuit Squadron, the formation of the Tuskegee Airmen. Members of the Ohio Memorial Chapter will be in attendance, with the Tuskegee Airmen Show Car.
The panel discussion will be filmed for use during the Theatrical Premiere of In Their Own Words: The Tuskegee Airmen, presented Fathom Events partnering with Bryton Entertainment which will take place on March 29 at approximately 150 theaters nationwide. This release commemorates Eleanor Roosevelt’s flight with Chief Flight Instructor Charles Anderson out of Moton Field in Tuskegee, Ala., in March 1941. Although the Tuskegee Program was three months old at the time of the flight, this action served to ignite a flame under the nation that "Blacks could fly!"
The theatre’s Feb. 20 event is the first of eight Living History Film Series events planned for 2016. The Series brings aviation history alive through films and guest speakers. The Living History Film Series is sponsored by Texas Road House and the Boeing Co. Tickets are available at the theatre's ticket counter for $10 per film ($8 for Friends Members). Discounts for school or youth groups are available with advance reservations.
The theatre is operated by the Air Force Museum Foundation, Inc., a Section 501(c)(3) private, non-profit organization that assists the Air Force in the development and expansion of the facilities of the National Museum of the United States Air Force. For more information on the Air Force Museum Foundation, visit www.airforcemuseum.com. The Air Force Museum Foundation is not part of the Department of Defense or any of its components and it has no governmental status.
The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force, located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, is the world’s largest military aviation museum. With free admission and parking, the museum features more than 360 aerospace vehicles and missiles and thousands of artifacts amid more than 19 acres of indoor exhibit space. Each year about one million visitors from around the world come to the museum. For more information, visit www.nationalmuseum.af.mil.
NOTE TO PUBLIC: For more information, please contact the Air Force Museum Theatre at (937) 253-4629 or visit www.afmuseum.com or email theatre@afmuseum.com
NOTE TO MEDIA: For more information on the Air Force Museum Theatre, contact: Mary Bruggeman, Chief, Attractions Operations, (937) 656-9623, mbruggeman@afmuseum.com