Tuskegee Airmen Flight Instructor Dr. Linkwood Williams Documentary

This video post opens on YouTube the day of the National U.S.A. release of the movie "Red Tails." My name is Anthony "Amp" Elmore and I live in Memphis, Tennessee U.S.A. There is a spirit that came into my life that compelled me to post this story about "Tuskegee Airmen" flight instructor the Late Dr. Linkwood Williams. I have known Dr. Williams for almost 40 years. So you can understand Dr. Williams was an enigma to me. He was an enigma because he like other "Tuskegee Airmen" have a "Quiet Dignity" and a commitment to excellence. Dr. William passed in February of 2010 in Memphis, Tennessee. In the early 1970's I quit college to enter into the retail Carpet business. Dr. William made it a point to encourage and support African American businesses. Our businesses suffered and we needed work more than anyone. I was a young man and Dr. Williams put faith in me. Dr. Williams gave me the opportunity to carpet his office on Park Avenue in Memphis. Later Dr. Williams moved on Barron Street and I did the work at that office also. In the early 1970's I was a community activist who studied Black History. Dr. Williams and I were having a conversation about Tuskegee University. I had read the books by Booker T. Washington who started Tuskegee College. Once at Dr. Williams office I wanted to show my intellectual prowess and I spouted off to Dr. Williams about the Tuskegee Pilots and how great they were. I asked Dr. Williams did he know about the Tuskegee Pilots and uneventfully said; " I know about them and I was one of them." Learning this information knocked my socks off. Later we carpeted Dr. Williams home and he told us that a lot of the work we did he could do this work himself. There was a carpenter by the name of Brooks who could do good work but he was unreliable. Dr. Williams was a very patient man and he put up with things trying his best to encourage us African American businessmen by way of example. Early in Dr. Williams life he was a professional union carpenter and he did not enter Meherry Medical College in Nashville until his late 30's. Just a few years ago I was at Dr. Williams home listening he and his wife tell us about History at Tuskegee. I learned that the great inventor "Thomas Edison & George Washington Carver" were the best of friend and they would see them walking around the campus together. When President Bush invited the Tuskegee Airmen to the Whitehouse I asked Dr. Williams why he did not attend. Dr. Williams said; "Elmore it is okay." In February of 2007 we organized Black History Month African dinners at our home promoting African and African American culture in Memphis. Each year Memphis Congressman Steve Cohen would be our special guest. In February of 2008 I called Dr. Williams to come have dinner and be our special guest. We told him that Congressman Cohen would give him special recognition and Dr. Williams told me that he did not care about getting recognition but he would come because it meant a lot to me. In 2009 during the inauguration of President Barack Obama Jr. he invited the Tuskegee Airmen to be his special guest. In the Summer of 2009 I was inside Kroger in Memphis on Lamar Ave at Black owned Tri-state bank and we were in line. I shouted very loud; "I said Dr. Williams President Obama during the inauguration invited the Tuskegee Airmen to attend were you there. Dr. Williams replied many of my friends went but I decided to set it out. I embarrassed Dr. Williams because I stood in Kroger and announced to everyone that we had a Tuskegee Airmen in Kroger and we must honor him. One young man came up to Dr. Williams and shook his hand. Another man came up to me and thanked me for telling the story. In February of 2010 Dr. Williams wife called me to tell me that he has passed. I called Congressman Cohen's office to inform them. The Smithsonian Institute housed the picture of Dr. Williams 1941 picture as a Tuskegee Flight instructor. We did research and found this video of Dr. Williams in the military archives. Just to access the video took over 4 hours. We had to upgrade our computer to see the video. The original version was over one hour and a half. We took two days to edit the video and get our friend and one of my heroes story out. Rest in Peace Dr. Williams.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• Tuskegee Airmen
• Dr. Linkwood Williams

[kojoman75]

Wonderful-) Now that we got RED TAILS, I would like to see a movie of the U. S. Army's last all Black Combat Unit, the 24th Infantry Regiment "BUFFALO-SOLDIERS" who served our country from 1866 to 1951, ending 83 years during the Korean war.

But, as some of you may know, the infantry, isn't a very glamorous branch of service to serve in, when in war and rarely receive credit for their deeds. .

[Runningwolf20]

If the movie sounds were silenced this would be great.

[RedTails332]

I can never express to you how grateful I am to you & your family for what you did for Dr. Williams. I am an avid Tuskegee Airmen history buff & have tried to tell their story to as many as would listen.I would have loved to talk with him & express my appreciation to him & the other TA. I met Luke Weathers at an Org. of Black Airline Pilots/FAA Black History Youth Luncheon but I didn't know we had another TA who lived in MEM. I am thrilled Red Tails is finally on the big screen. God bless you!