Honoring Tuskegee Airman Lee Hayes
Wednesday, February 15, 10:30 a.m.
A Special Event in Honor of Black History Month
(RIVERHEAD, NY, February 3, 2012) –– The Suffolk County Historical Society is pleased to present the following special events in honor of Black History month:
SPECIAL EVENT: Honoring Tuskegee Airman Lee Hayes
Wednesday, February 15, 10:30 a.m.
(refreshments at 10:30 a.m., followed by program from 11 a.m. - 12 noon.)
Join us as we honor the achievements and challenges of one of the country’s first African-American airmen, WWII pilot Lee Hayes, of East Hampton. The Suffolk County Historical Society will present Mr. Hayes with an honorary plaque, and Mr. Hayes will give a first-hand account of his unique experiences as an Army Air Corps bombardier.
In spite of adversity and limited opportunities, African Americans have played a significant role in U.S. military history over the past 300 years. They were denied military leadership roles and skilled training because many believed they lacked qualifications for combat duty. Before 1940, African Americans were barred from flying for the U.S. military. Civil rights organizations and the black press exerted pressure that resulted in the formation of an all African-American pursuit squadron based in Tuskegee, Alabama, in 1941. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen.
Also on display during February:
EXHIBIT: James T. Johnathan, Photographer
On Display through February 29, 2012 (opened February 3)
Museum Hours: Tues.-Sat., 12:30-4:30pm
An exhibit featuring reproductions of original photographs by James T. Johnathan (1887-1966), a pioneering African-American entrepreneur who documented the diverse hamlet of Bay Shore for more than half a century.
A self-taught photographer, Johnathan moved to Bay Shore from Harlem in 1916 with his wife and children. He chronicled the Bay Shore community’s every day and special events from his photography studio on Union Street (now Union Boulevard). He served as the Bay Shore School District’s official photographer, and photographed local weddings, portraits and civic events. Regarded as Bay Shore’s first African-American entrepreneur, this Renaissance man was also a barber, the owner-operator of a restaurant, and the head of his family musical group that featured his six children. The group, “Johnathan and His Rhythm Stars,” played at the 1939 World’s Fair and the Apollo Theater. The photographs on display are a sampling of the 120 images in his family’s private collection. They transcend race and are a testament to Johnathan’s status in the community.
For more information, contact the Suffolk County Historical Society at 631-727-2881.
Source: Suffolk County Historical Society news release Feb. 3, 2012