WASHINGTON — History and hope will merge on June 7 when the East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ECCTAI) hosts a Youth Recognition Breakfast Fundraiser from 10 am.-noon at the Harborside Hotel in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
The event will honor ECCTAI college scholarship recipients and students from the chapter’s Herbert H. Jones Jr. Youth in Aviation Program and its partner program in Southern Maryland, while raising funds to fuel the chapter’s mission of investing in the next generation of aviators and aerospace professionals.
Founded in 1973, ECCTAI is the oldest and largest chapter of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen, Inc., the organization dedicated to honoring the accomplishments and preserving the history of nearly 19,000 primarily African American men and women who participated as air crew, ground crew and operations support personnel in the Army Air Corps during World War II.
The breakfast will serve as both a celebration of achievements and a call to action. Attendees will hear firsthand from students and aviation professionals whose academic journeys and flight training were made possible by the chapter’s support, as well as from chapter leaders committed to continuing the legacy of the original Tuskegee Airmen.
“This isn’t just about honoring the past,” said H. Thomas “Tommy” Herndon Jr., ECCTAI’s president. “It’s about transforming lives. Every student we recognize is a living tribute to the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen and their achievements, a symbol of the trailblazers’ standard of excellence.”
Proceeds from the breakfast will fund scholarships and flight-training opportunities, a financial lifeline for aspiring professionals facing the high cost of entry into aviation careers. Last year, ECCTAI awarded $15,000 in scholarships and provided ground school instruction for 15 students to take the FAA private pilot written exam. For many students, the program is the first step for students seeking careers in aviation and aerospace professions.
The fundraiser comes at a time of renewed focus on diversity in aviation, science, technology, engineering and mathematics. According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report, in 2023, 92.4% of aircraft pilots and flight engineers were White, while 3.6% were Black. ECCTAI is working to close that gap through education, mentorship and representation.
Tickets for the breakfast may be purchased through ECCTAI’s website, and donations are encouraged from those unable to attend. For more information, visit ECCTAI’s Youth In Aviation Program and its scholarship grants webpage.
ABOUT THE EAST COAST CHAPTER TUSKEGEE AIRMEN, INC.
Founded in 1973, the East Coast Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. (ECCTAI) is the oldest and largest chapter of the renowned Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. ECCTAI has about 100 members from diverse backgrounds, which include Tuskegee Airmen heritage-kindred descendants, active-duty and retired military, civil servants and private citizens from all walks of life. At one time, the chapter included more than 50 Documented Original Tuskegee Airmen, combat veterans of World War II who received their military training at Tuskegee, Alabama. ECCTAI provides educational assistance scholarships to students and produces a Youth in Aviation Program that preserves the Tuskegee Airmen’s legacy and supports workforce development initiatives in underserved and underrepresented communities. ECCTAI’s geographical focus area is the District of Columbia and its surrounding areas in Maryland and Virginia. The chapter is incorporated in Washington, D.C., and has its 501(C)3 designation.
