Tuskegee Airmen “Freeman Field Mutiny” Dedication Week

Head over to Freeman Municipal Airport in Seymour, IN for a full week of lectures, performances, exhibits and more, October 3-8, 2022. The weeklong activities will culminate in the dedication of the new Indiana State Historical Marker about the Freeman Field Mutiny and two life-size statues of Tuskegee Airmen.

Speakers include Bryan Patrick Avery, author of the children’s book The Freeman Field Photograph, Matt Glenn, sculptor of the two Tuskegee Airmen statues that will be a centerpiece of the plaza, and Reginald Duvalle, President of the Indianapolis Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen.

[IHB-ISL] Freeman Field Mutiny State Historical Marker to be Dedicated October 8th

The New Freeman Field Mutiny Historical Marker Will Read:

“Despite fighting for democracy in WWII, African Americans were denied their rights at home. Here, Tuskegee Airmen of the 477th Bombardment Group protested discrimination by trying to enter the white officers’ club in April 1945, resulting in their arrest. Over 100 Black officers were then arrested for refusing to sign an order that entrenched segregated facilities. Responding to pressure from the Black press and NAACP, the Army ordered the officers’ release and replaced their white commander with decorated African American Col. Benjamin O. Davis, Jr. The Tuskegee Airmen’s superb combat record and resistance to racism contributed to the 1948 desegregation of the U.S. military and shaped public discourse of the Civil Rights Movement.”

Freeman Field Mutiny Week of Events

“Especially poignant is that the speaking events telling the history and story of the Freeman Field Mutiny will take place at the Emmanuel Church Seymour Campus, which is in the exact location of the White officers club number two,” said. Skylar Earley, a member of the 2022 Leadership Jackson County community awareness project team that took on creating this week long long event recognizing the Freeman Field mutiny in Seymour Indiana. Leadership Jackson County is an organization whose purpose is to build a foundation of informed, connected and action oriented citizens. The core element of the program is a ten-month leadership training program designed to develop and enhance community leadership by providing means for men and women from diverse backgrounds to assume a more active role in meeting community needs. Skylar and his colleagues were nominated by their place of work. Each cohort going through the program selects a project.

“I grew up in Seymour and never new about the Freeman Field Mutiny,” said Skylar. “That’s not right.” That’s why he and his co event planners (Maci Baurle, Sehrish Sangamkar, Steve Cissna and Candace Foist) made sure to connect with nearby school districts to include an education component to the week’s events. They’ve secured buses to bring over 500 4th through 7th graders to see the statues, learn about the Freeman Field Mutiny, and visit the Rise Above Tuskegee Airmen traveling exhibit.

Skylar said the top driver for this project was Tim Molinari, who first started bringing attention to the significant history of the field with his Eagle Scout project in 2015, which saw the dedication Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Plaza at Freeman Municipal Airport in Seymour. Molinari and his dad, also named Tim, were moved by the impact their project had on people, and wanted to do more. The younger Tim applied for the new historical marker and have raised tens of thousands of dollars to commission the Tuskegee Airmen sculptures and bring the Rise Above exhibit to Seymour.

Tuesday, October 4

– Rise Above Exhibit Tours 5:30pm – 7:45pm
– Freeman Army Airfield Museum Tours 6:00pm – 8:00pm
– Evening Speaker Series: Reginald DuValle “Freeman Field Mutiny” (Emmanuel Church – 1849 1st Ave Seymour) 7:00pm

Wednesday, October 5

– Rise Above Exhibit Tours 5:30pm – 7:45pm
– Freeman Army Airfield Museum Tours 6:00pm – 8:00pm
– Evening Speaker Series: Matt Glenn “Sculptor’s Talk” (Emmanuel Church – 1849 1st Ave Seymour) 7:00pm

Thursday, October 6

– Rise Above Exhibit Tours 5:30pm – 7:45pm
– Freeman Army Airfield Museum Tours 6:00pm – 8:00pm
Evening Speakers Series: Bryan Patrick Avery ” The Photograph That Changed American History” (Emmanuel Church – 1849 1st Ave Seymour) 7:00pm

Friday, October 7

– Rise Above Exhibit Tours 5:30pm – 7:45pm
– Concert by United States Air Force “Band of Flight” (Crossroads Park – 101 E. Tipton St. Seymour) 6:30pm

Saturday, October 8

– Rise Above Exhibit Tours 9:00am – 12:00pm
– Freeman Army Airfield Museum Tours 10:00am – 12:00pm
– Dedication Ceremony 1:00pm
– Rise Above Exhibit Tours 2:30pm – 4:45pm
– Freeman Army Airfield Museum Tours 2:30pm – 4:00pm

For questions, contact Skylar Earley at searley@schneckmed.org.