Keeping Black History Alive! Kim Russell
Author of Tuskegee Airmen; Sojourner Truth; Asheba's story and
more
Award winning one woman show on the life of Sojourner Truth and
author of The Tuskegee Love Letters, the true romance and journey
of one of America's first African American military pilots.
Invite Kim to visit your school and community with interactive
workshops designed around programs from the Kennedy Center and PBS
programs.
Ideal for veteran's day event, women's history month, Black family
celebrations and literacy workshops.
Visit our website: www.speakersontour.com Order your free copy of
Asheba's story - a play for kids ages 6 and up.... www.speakersontour.com
Quick read....Tuskegee Love Letters....
TUSKEGEE LOVE LETTERS Kim Russell © 1997 Kim K. Russell
CAST: James Bernard (BERNARD) African-American army air corp.
pilot, writer, comedian Luana, Bernards wife African American
actress James Claiborne (CLAIBORNE) Bernards older brother Kim /
Narrator - daughter of Luana & Bernard The play begins in 1942.
Lights up on Kim KIM Before I was born, my Mother and Father
chronicled their life in letters to my Grandmother. They wrote
about their joys, their struggles and their dreams during the war
years of 1942 though 1956. My father was a pilot with the Negro
Tuskegee Airmen, my mother a steno-typist, and actress. For the
Tuskegee men and women it was an opportunity to become aviators and
to challenge the racial segregation prevailing throughout the
United States. With the advent of World War II, the war department
had a need for Negro officers and pilots. As a result, the United
States Army Air Corps activated the 99th Fighter Squadron in March
1941. These letters are my parents legacy. They promised a new and
wondrous life for my Mother and Father as they moved from Alabama
to New York. Father continued to fly, as he was in the military for
twenty-one years. Mother pursued a career on the stage. They
celebrated the birth of their first and only child in 1955. It is a
Tuesday evening, 1942. America is engaged in war. Here is my
fathers first letter: Lights up on Bernard BERNARD My dear Mrs.
Word: I sincerely hope this letter finds you well. I feel badly not
having written after taking your daughter away. Whenever you wrote
to Luana, she would promptly give me all of its contents, even
though Id be trying desperately to listen to the radio. Now I m at
a loss since she isnt with me to tell me the dirt from Wichita. I
do hope you can read this writing. Your daughter decided to marry
me rather than to try and read my letters. I am in upper New York
State and except for California, it is the best place in the United
States to live. The land is so nice and the people here dont remind
you, you re colored. I m almost certain that by the time this
letter reaches you I will be aboard some ship, headed for I dont
know where. I have been trying to rest so in case I have to swim, I
ll have all my strength. Whenever you see your daughter next, she
ll have lots of lies to tell about things I said, but dont believe
a word of it – all of the fellows here have met
some beautiful girl in New York and they are trying to figure some
way to get out of going overseas. We all know how impossible that
is. You must write your daughter as regular as possible, for she
throws a real fit when you dont. I can always tame her down, but
now that I ve gone, she might tear little Tuskegee apart. Best of
luck to you. Sincerely yours, Bernard Lights up on Luana KIM Office
of the Quartermaster, Tuskegee Army Flying School, Tuskegee,
Alabama, 1942 ORDER YOUR COPY, read about the high life of New York
City in 40 s and 50 s. Learn about the one of the first magazines
using Black Models.
