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Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Appoints New Director Of Media Relations

April 1, 2025 No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                                             

Dawn Onley, Director of Media Relations, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc.

April 1, 2025

TUSKEGEE, Ala. – The Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. is pleased to announce the appointment of Dawn Onley as the organization’s Director of Media Relations. Dawn is a leading public relations and media strategist with experience supporting businesses, federal agencies and nonprofits.

Leon Butler, National President of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (TAI), said he looks forward to working with Dawn to elevate the visibility of the Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy and to promote STEM education among young people.

“We are confident that Dawn’s strategic approach and passion for storytelling will help us effectively communicate the remarkable history and achievements of the Tuskegee Airmen to a wider audience,” Butler said. “Dawn’s role in shaping our narrative and engaging with the media is crucial. We look forward to her leadership in amplifying our message, ensuring that the service and sacrifices of these American heroes are never forgotten.”

Onley is an award-winning journalist who has written for large, daily newspapers, including The Star-Ledger of Newark, New Jersey, where she was once part of a team nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. She once served as writer and editor of two military technology magazines, Defense Systems and Military Logistics Forum, and has also written for digital sites covering news pertinent to the African American community, including The Grio, Black Enterprise and BET.

“I’ve long admired the courage and sacrifice of the Tuskegee Airmen who risked their lives amid segregation to escort bombers during World War II, and what a success they were! They had one of the lowest loss records of all of the escort fighter groups,” Onley said. “I feel such a sense of gratitude and purpose as the Director of Media Relations. I will work hard to ensure that the Tuskegee Airmen are never erased from the history books and that their legacy lives on with today’s youth who may be inspired by their story to attend flight school or another STEM vocation. I am wholly honored.”

Statement from Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. in response to the Air Force ensuring Tuskegee Airmen’s story remains in training courses

January 28, 2025 No Comments

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

January 27, 2025

TUSKEGEE, Ala. ⸻ The Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (TAI) appreciates the quick response from military leadership reassuring us that the stories of the World War II Tuskegee Airmen and the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs) will remain a part of the Air Force’s training courses. We have spoken with several military leaders today and feel confident they agree that the Tuskegee Airmen’s accomplishments are an important part of American military history and should continue to be taught to all Airmen and Guardians who attend Basic Military Training.

Additionally, we are grateful for all the expressions of support we received over the past few days from lawmakers, veterans’ groups, and the general public. Preserving the legacy of our Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen (DOTAs) is the highest priority of Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., as we fulfill the pioneering airmen’s mission of introducing future generations to the worlds of aviation and science.

© 2020 Tuskegee Airmen Inc.