The Ohio Supreme Court's annual Black History Month event celebrated the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.

The Ohio Supreme Court's annual Black History Month event celebrated the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.

This month, students from Columbus area schools gathered at the Thomas J. Moyer Ohio Judicial Center for the Ohio Supreme Court’s annual Black History Month event. This year’s program, “Celebrating Excellence, Building Futures,” honored the Tuskegee Airmen, their connection to Ohio, and the contributions of Black Ohioans and their legacy in inspiring careers in law.

“This annual event reminds us that the path to progress is paved by those who rise above adversity to spark hope and opportunity for all,” said Chief Justice Sharon L. Kennedy in her opening remarks.

The event’s speakers highlighted the many life lessons that students can learn from the Tuskegee Airmen, who were the first all African American unit in the Army Air Forces. The Tuskegee Airmen were stationed at what is now Rickenbacker Air National Guard Base after World War II and are the subject of a new exhibit in the Moyer Judicial Center’s Visitor Education Center. Gregory Edmonds, the president of the Ohio Memorial Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen, remarked that the Tuskegee Airmen “were driven by a steadfast commitment to themselves, their race, and their country, regardless of the conditions, barriers, or personal rewards.”

Kelzé Riley, a labor and employment attorney, discussed the discrimination and barriers the Tuskegee Airmen faced, and how their hard work and dedication allowed them to prevail.

“These men were told explicitly and repeatedly that they lacked the ability to be successful pilots,” she said. “Yet, they persisted despite facing such discrimination and skepticism.”

Riley encouraged the audience to carry this legacy of persistence forward to overcome obstacles of their own.

“I urge you to commit yourself to the relentless pursuit of excellence,” Riley said. “The Tuskegee Airmen did not demand opportunities without proving that they were prepared to meet their challenges. They exceeded under pressure, demonstrating that skill, discipline, and integrity speak louder than words.”

Lyn Ford, an award-winning storyteller and poet, echoed Riley’s sentiment of the importance of perseverance as she spoke about her father, who served as a Tuskegee Airman. Ford’s father performed a great service to the country in the military and was extraordinarily accomplished, but he was unable to find work in similar fields when he returned home.

“With all his training, he found that no airline would hire him, no radio or TV station would accept him as a weather reporter. Think about that. Who was even going to see his face on the radio?” Ford said.

Ford expressed admiration for her father’s perseverance to rise above the social barriers that kept him from returning to the cockpit. Although unable to fly again, he still served his community in other ways, including joining a planning commission. Ford encouraged the audience to, like her father, “find a way to make goals and find a way to work toward those goals so that no matter what, we can stretch and grow and fly.”

Recordings of this event and previous Black History Month programs are available to stream online. The Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy is featured in a new exhibit in the Visitor Education Center at the Moyer Judicial Center. To schedule a tour, please contact the Civic Education office at CourtTours@sc.ohio.gov.