FRIENDS OF TUSKEGEE AIRMEN NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE

 

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MEMORIAL WALL PROPOSAL

OUR FTANHS MISSION: To assist the National Park Service to preserve, commemorate, and protect the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site. We do this by raising funds, drawing public awareness to this amazing American history, providing various community outreach activities, organizing volunteers for special projects, and making new friends for the Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site.

TUSKEGEE AIRMEN MEMORIAL WALL OF HONOR

(Proposed Upcoming Project Pending NPS Approval) 

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington DC was an inspiration for our concept. The patron engages with Memorial along a pathway that is a people-mover and framing device for vistas in the surrounding areas.

a group of people holding a sign that says tuskegee airmen memorial highway

The Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Wall of Honor is as important and equal to all monuments honoring those who fought for this country.

A series of flagpoles at the entrance of the site, perpendicular to Chappie James Ave, provides a marker for the site to increase visibility.

The existing circular path is to be filled with hardscape to create a statue plaza entrance, to include a central raised pedestal as the home of newly commissioned sculptures by Dr. Ronald McDowell. Sculptures of Chief Anderson and Eleanor Roosevelt, as well as other statues representing the Mechanics and Nurses who supported the airmen during training will be placed around the perimeter of this plaza.

A large canopy structure will cover the existing picnic area, shading visitors from the harsh sun and providing respite along the main path. The canopy structure is steel with a stretched canvas roof. The shape of the structure will resemble the wing of a P51 fighter plane and the wing-struts of the Stearman bi-plane.

At the north end of the picnic area, the canopy would rise to create an amphitheater space with steps which will facilitate seating. This space could be used in a variety of ways – gatherings, outdoor classroom, speeches, and plays, etc.

The Tuskegee Airmen Memorial Wall of Honor is dedicated to the pilots, including the Red Tails, and the support men and women who served at various U.S. flight training facilities and abroad. More than 15,000 military and civilian personnel (including flight instructors, mechanics, nurses, clerks, parachute riggers, cooks, etc.) will be named on this wall representing all Tuskegee Airmen. This view overlooks the hallowed grounds where Airmen trained at Moton Field. 

Wayfinding & Technology Interface with QR Code

At the beginning of the new memorial would be an information plaque with QR code so that visitors can scan and access a digital interface that will provide more information about honorees, location of names, biographies, etc. This would also be an opportunity for visitors to collect additional information not on record.

The memorial consists of a series of wing-like walls constructed of formed metal panels. Ramped pathways between the wings allow for a gradual, wheelchair accessible pathway leading down to the hangers.

This view shows the end of the pathway leading to the hangars. The picnic area canopy, upper left, evokes flight while the wall wings complement the landscape. In different natural light conditions, the walls’ metal material will appear in shades of red in homage to the Red Tails. Indigenous plant species will be included to soften the edges of the memorial and integrate it with the natural landscape. 

Insignias and emblems, referencing Tuskegee Airmen units, may be incorporated into the architecture to give deeper meaning to the story in a subtle, abstract way. This view shows examples of insignias to be imprinted in the concrete walls on site.

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