Louise Diversity Lecture

Col. Charles McGee, one of the first African American aviators in the U.S. Armed Forces, delivered East Central University’s Sixth Annual Louise Young Diversity Lecture on March 11, 2014, in the Ataloa Theatre of ECU’s Hallie Brown Ford Fine Arts Center.

McGee, the recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal of Honor, was one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen, a group of African American pilots who fought in World War II. Having served heroically in three wars, he is highly decorated. McGee holds an Air Force record of 409 fighter combat missions flown in World War II, Korea and Vietnam.

He flew 136 missions in a P-39/P-47/P-51 airplane with the 302nd Fighter Squadron in Italy, 100 missions in a F-51 with the 67th Fighter Bomber Squadron in Korea and 173 missions in a RF-4C with the 16th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron in Vietnam.

“The Sixth Annual Louise Young Diversity Lecture provided attendees an opportunity to hear from a very special American hero. Col. Charles McGee overcame great barriers of racial segregation to become one of the U.S. Air Force’s most decorated pilots,” said Dr. Louise Young. “The story of the Tuskegee Airmen of World War II is both inspiring and extraordinary.”

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Those who attended the lecture were able to hear Col. McGee, meet him, have a book signed and receive a special gift—a dog tag bearing the image of their iconic Red Tail airplane and the principles of the Tuskegee Airmen on the reverse side.

“It is an honor for me to be able to bring this exciting evening to my hometown and my alma mater, ECU,” Young said.

Young is a graduate of Ada Public Schools and East Central University (B.A. in geography in 1969). She earned a master’s and doctorate degree from the University of Colorado. From 1971 to 1974, Young was an instructor of geography at ECU. In 2008, she established an endowed lectureship within the ECU Foundation with the goal of presenting an annual free lecture for students, faculty and community members on various aspects of diversity.

Young retired as senior software engineer with Raytheon Company, where she worked for 34 years. In addition to her software engineering career, she has received numerous awards for her work in diversity, both inside and outside of corporate America, especially with regards to equal treatment of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender individuals. In 2003, she received the prestigious Raytheon Diversity Heroes Award from Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson.

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Col. McGee addresses a packed house at the Louise Young Diversity lecture.

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Col. McGee on the left, with Custer and Maxine McFalls, and his daughter and biographer, Dr. Charlene E. McGee Smith on the right gather prior to lecture.

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Louise Young, Col. McGee and his daughter examine a photo of the Red Tail airplane that was donated to Col. McGee by Dr. Gregory Plumb, faculty member in the Cartography/Geography Department.

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President John Hargrave welcomes Col. McGee to ECU.