Saturday Flight School and Community Engagement
Saturday, March 28, 2026
9:30 am to 12:30 pm
Raleigh Community Center
Saturday Flight School and Community Engagement, Saturday, March 28, 2026 Taste of Aviation and the Memphis Chapter Tuskegee Airmen Inc. will host free events at the Raleigh Community Center (Power) to honor the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen while inspiring the next generation of aviation leaders:
* Saturday Flight School (9:30 am to 12:30 pm) – Students ages 11–14 will participate in hands-on aviation learning, meet aviation professionals, and explore career pathways in aviation and aerospace. Space is limited – register via Eventbrite
* Aviation community engagement opportunity, where aviation organizations will connect with families and the public, share resources, and highlight aviation opportunities available in Memphis. Have fun, and learn a new line dance: “The Tuskegee Airmen Hustle”!
By bringing aviation education directly into the community, the program celebrates the legacy, leadership, and lasting impact of the Tuskegee Airmen while helping young people discover their own path in aviation.
SSGT Leslie Edwards Essay Contest
For students ages 11 -14, recognizing the legacy of Staff Sergeant Leslie Edwards Jr., a Tuskegee Airman born in Memphis who served as a flight chief with the 477th Bomb Group during World War II. Help us inspire the next generation of leaders by sharing the powerful legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen with our youth.1st Place – $250, 2nd Place $150, 3rd place – $100. Winners will be recognized on March 28th at Church of the River (Virginia Ave) at 4pm.
Email essays to: freemanbd@scsk12.org by midnight March 18, 2026
Sponsored by Memphis Chapter Tuskegee Airmen Inc, Taste of Aviation and Team Memphis
SSGT Leslie Edwards Recognition
March 28, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00
Church of the River, 292 Virginia Ave, Memphis, Tennessee
SSGT Leslie Edwards Recognition – National Tuskegee Airmen Day – March 28, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM, the public is invited to a special National Tuskegee Airmen Day recognition program at Church of the River, 292 Virginia Ave, Memphis, Tennessee. This community gathering will honor SSGT Leslie Edwards, a documented Original Tuskegee Airman from Memphis. Program will also include recognition of the SSGT Leslie Edwards Essay Contest winners. Guests will have the opportunity to meet the Edwards family, hear about his legacy and connection to the Church of the River’s Unitarian Universalist history, and network with members of the Memphis Chapter Tuskegee Airmen Inc., aviation professionals, and community members while celebrating the enduring legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen.
