 I am so excited and proud about ALL of those who will be honored at our March 3rd Black History Breakfast. However, you need to read this biographical profile of a true American hero who followed his love of airplanes and never got sidetracked because of his race. The story of Harvey Sanford is so compelling that I urge you to share it with your children, friends, grandkids, colleagues and staff members to help them understand the true grit of these men of action. Harvey Sanford was a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen and is a current member of the New England Chapter Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. Special thanks to Dr. Judith Sanford-Harris for sharing this wonderful profile about her father. It will make you proud of the outstanding achievements of African American men and women whose bravery and dedication have made our country great. Harvey Sanford is enjoying his retirement years with with his beautiful wife and family in suburban Boston. He will be honored at the March 3, 2016 Black History Breakfast at the Boston Colonnade Hotel. Come meet the heroes and sheroes and thank them for their dedicated service to America. Harvey F. Sanford Harvey was born on Hammond Street in Boston’s South End in 1926 to Oswald Sanford and Georgianna (Jones) Sanford. He was an only child and was lovingly called “Sonny” by his parents. As a boy he spent summers with his mother’s family in Annapolis, MD and is a connoisseur of crab cakes. He also went with his father each month to visit his Mashpee Wampanoag family on the Cape. His mother said that his favorite toy at a very early age was an airplane he made from popsicle sticks and his love of airplanes has continued through his lifetime. Harvey attended Boston Trade High School for Boys in the aeronautics program and played the fife in the school’s fife & drum corps. He was one of four students who completed his high school credits one year early, and the four were hired by what was then known at East Boston Airport to work as aircraft mechanics for their senior year. The airport was already familiar to him, as he had visited many times as a boy with his father to watch the trucks bring landfill to dump into the harbor to extend the runways. A year after graduation, in 1945, he was drafted and “…shipped to Tuskegee,” assigned to Squadron A, 385th Army Air Force Base Unit. He vividly remembers his train ride south to Chehaw Station, Alabama. Black passengers could sit anywhere when they got on the train in Boston but once they crossed the Mason-Dixon line in Washington, DC, they all had to get off of the train and move to the front car of the train – the one closest to the smoke and dust from the coal engine. Once at Tuskegee Army Air Field/Moton Field, they were lined up for jobs and Ralph White, who was from Boston and had been there for several months, recognized him and asked why he was there. Harvey said, “They told us we were going to build airplanes,” to which Ralph replied, “Already built.” Harvey explained what he’d been doing at East Boston Airport and Ralph took Harvey and his files to his boss, Major Boyd, second in command. Major Boyd said, “You’re just what we need. You’ll work for me and the base commander. You will have no other duties.” He than told Ralph to get Harvey a room. Harvey says, “I didn’t have stripe the first but I was with all non-coms.” Harvey was eventually promoted to the rank of sergeant. His job was to inspect all aircraft and engines after every 25 hours of flying, on the ground and during test flights with the pilots. Once per month he would fly Major Boyd and the base commander, Major Parrish, to Washington, DC for meetings and he would spend time with family in Annapolis. When he would return the next morning, his plane would have been moved and parked in a far corner of the air base, away from all of the “white” planes. Tuskegee, Alabama was a “dry” town. Now and then Harvey would have to fly to Chicago and, since he didn’t drink, the guys trusted him and would hive him money to buy liquor. Before leaving Chicago a truck would back up to the plane and load the liquor. Pat Evans, the Macon County sheriff and a notorious racist, never did figure out how liquor was getting onto the base. Evans was known for arresting black soldiers on false charges when they went into town and putting them to work on local chain gangs, so being able to bring the liquor in without Evans knowing how was a mini-victory. Harvey received an honorable discharge in October of 1946 and went to work at Fort Devens, MA as a National Guard aircraft mechanic. During the Korean Conflict, from 1950-52 he did light aviation aircraft maintenance with the 272nd Mass. National Guard Field Artillery, first in Wisconsin where it was so cold that guns didn’t fire, children got frostbite while sleeping, and water inside the barracks froze, and then in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany. Part of his role during this time was to fly along the German border with Chuck Lee, also a Boston native, doing border patrol. He also served with Billy and “Lafe” Bingham, whom he knew from home. On his return home, his job was airforce research and development at Hanscom Air Base, including supervising the installation of test equipment. He was authorized to “run up” supersonic aircraft including the F101, F102, and F106, and other aircraft such as the T-39 and the KC-135. From 1974 until his retirement in 1984 he worked as an airworthiness inspector for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) at Logan Airport, specializing in accident investigation and the inspection of airline aircraft, and then as an FAA consultant. Harvey’s hobbies before retirement were building an extensive model railroad in his basement and one for his granddaughters, and building and flying radio control airplanes. Since retirement, Harvey has volunteered every Saturday with the Collings Foundation and with MayoCraft on aircraft restoration and repair. Aircraft have included a B-17, B-24, B-25, B-6, PT-17, T-6, Wright B-Flyer, two Piper Cubs, a 1911 Bleriot, and a Waco Cabin. The MayoCraft volunteers also built an airworthy P-26D from scratch. While with the Collings Foundation, Harvey and Ret. Col. John Roach flew the B-17 and B-25 to air shows around the country and took the public up for rides. As an Original Tuskegee Airman, Harvey is a member of the New England Chapter, Tuskegee Airmen, Inc. In 1996 he was recognized as “the youngest African American maintenance inspector to take part in the advanced training group at the Tuskegee Army/Air Field” and in 2007 traveled to Washington DC as one of 300 recipients of the Congressional Gold Medal, a prestigious award given by Congress for their service. He was also awarded an Honorary Citizen’s Award at the 73rd annual convention of the NAACP in Boston in 1982. As a member of the New England TAI chapter, he has received many certificates and accolades in appreciation of his and their service and their many presentations around New England to educate young people about the Tuskegee Airmen. Harvey’s first love is obviously airplanes in any shape or form, but his wife of 65 years, Alice (Taylor) Sanford and family are equally important. Harvey and Alice met when they were 12 years old and married shortly after her graduation from Wheaton College in 1950. They have one daughter, Dr. Judith Sanford-Harris, a son-in-law, Boston Police Deputy Superintendent Joseph Harris, and two granddaughters, Stacey and Stephanie Harris. Harvey was known over the years as the Mr. Fixit of his family, friends, and neighbors. He was often the go-to person for car repairs, plumbing, minor electrical repairs, and some construction and installation, skills he learned from his father, a talented auto mechanic. He never said no when asked for help. Harvey is a gentle man with a quiet, dry wit who has always played a strong, supporting role to everyone who knows him. If life were a movie, he’d win the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor!  The Black History Month Breakfast will be held on Thursday March 3, 2016 at the Boston Colonnade Hotel from 8:30 am to 11:00 am.
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 Elaine Harris (left) and Doreen Harris (right) In addition to the those who served in the military, the March 3rd Black History Breakfast will pay tribute to a few community activists whose contributions have added value to our society at large. Today we celebrate the achievements of identical twins Elaine and Doreen Harris, retired educators, who continue to make a difference in Boston, India and around the world.
Elaine E. Harris Elaine Harris is a retired Special Needs Teacher from the Boston Public Schools. Elaine earned her Bachelor of Science from Boston University School of Education, Boston, MA., and a Master of Education from Cambridge, College, Cambridge, MA. Her career spanned 32 years of teaching Special Needs Students at the Grover Cleveland Middle School and The Curley K-8 School. While at the Grover Cleveland Middle School, Elaine served on the Instructional Leadership Team for several years as well as a member of the Performance Information Mapping Team, Education In-Dept Review Team and the School Site Council. Elaine also provided professional development and mentor to grade six math teachers and new teachers. Through her leadership, Instructional Educational Plans were written and implemented for Special Needs Students. As a global educator, she attended the Pan African Reading Conference for Educators in Dar Salam, Tanzania. Elaine was also awarded as one of the prestigious recipients of 2005 Boston Teacher of the Year Award. Elaine has been a member of Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Jamaica Plain, MA for the past 27 years. She has served as Co-Leader of the Elders Ministry, a Trustee for more than 5 years, Church School Superintendent, New Members Coordinator for Capital Campaign, Co-Leader for Small Groups and presently serving as the President of the Christiana R. Gray Women’s Missionary Society. Hobbies include traveling, cooking and gardening. Most importantly, Elaine is always looking for opportunities to serve God’s people. Doreen Harris, Educational Consultant Doreen has been an educator for the past 28years and holds a Master of Education from Boston University, a Bachelor of Science from Suffolk University, Cum Laude Honors; and is a certified trainer in “ 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens”. In 2011, Doreen retired from the Boston Public Schools as a Cooperative Educational Counselor providing placement, site-supervision and follow-up services for students participating in cooperative work experiences at the Madison Park Technical Vocational High School, Boston, MA. Doreen was one of the initial educators at this high school that was instrumental in launching the pilot year for the Construction Mentoring Program for the Compliance Mentor Group. Throughout her tenure as an educator, Doreen demonstrated strong organization, planning and interpersonal abilities which earned her a reputation for commitment and exceeding expectation among her peers. Doreen has also been able to pursue her personal passion and interests in global education. In 2005, Doreen travelled to South Africa to assist teachers in training to remote schools in several parts of South Africa. Continuing to support global education, in 2009 Doreen attended the Pan African Reading Conference for educators across the globe in Dar Salam, Tanzania. For these efforts and more, Doreen was recognized and received the Achiever Award given by the Private Industry Council of Boston whose mission is to connect the youth and adults of Boston to education and employment opportunities. Doreen actively volunteers and presently serves as Advisory Board Member for The Compliance Mentor Group and continues to provide her support and educational services to the mentoring program. Doreen is a founding and active member of Bethel AME Church, Jamaica Plain, former member of the Steward Board and the Pastor’s Steward Emeritus. She previously served as Advisory Board Member of Generation Excel (an inner city youth organization); and former Board of Director of Urban Home Makers. The Black History Month Breakfast will be held on Thursday March 3, 2016 at the Boston Colonnade Hotel from 8:30 am to 11:00 am.  Roger Harris was born and raised in the Roxbury section of Boston, attended the Boston Public Schools, served three years of active duty with the United States Marine Corps, including a thirteen month tour of duty with a combat unit in Vietnam. He was a football standout at Boston University, where he earned “Most Valuable Backfield Player” and a Bachelors Degree. He received a Masters Degree from the University of Massachusetts (formerly Boston State College), a Doctor of Philosophy Degree from Boston College, and is a member of the LeadBoston class of ‘97.
Dr. Harris has devoted 41 years working with youth in Boston’s public schools. He has recently retired as Superintendent and Chief Executive Officer of the Boston Renaissance Charter Public School, and has been elected to serve as President of the Renaissance Foundation. Dr. Harris is the founder and president of Urban School Specialists, LLC. He is the Executive Producer of The Positive Youth Project and It Takes A Village educational series aired on Boston Neighborhood Network television. Dr. Harris has served as 2nd Vice President of the Board of Directors for the Massachusetts Charter Public School Association and Vice President of the Boston Charter School Alliance. He is the former Principal of the two-time National Blue Ribbon Award winning Timilty Middle School in Boston. He is a co-founder of the award-winning Roxbury Preparatory Charter School of Boston. Dr. Harris has worked in charter and traditional Boston public high schools, middle schools, and elementary schools as a classroom teacher, athletic coach, mentor, dean, assistant headmaster, and principal, earning national and international recognition as an outstanding urban educator. Dr. Harris is Assistant Professor of Practice at the Boston University School of Education (his alma mater) and has recently been appointed Faculty Director, of BU’s K-12 Education Leadership and Policy Studies department. He has taught graduate and undergraduate courses at the Boston College Lynch School of Education, Curry College, in Milton, Massachusetts, and has taught as an adjunct faculty member of the University of Massachusetts Boston. He has served for over ten years as a mentor principal to the Harvard Graduate School of Education, and has been the recipient of numerous civic and community awards, including the Boston University School of Education’s Distinguished Alumni Award, the Massachusetts Principal of the Year Award, the U.S. Department of Education’s National Distinguished Principal Award, and the President’s Award from the NAACP, Boston. Dr. Harris travels extensively to China, serving as a delegate to the Chinese Bridge to American Schools Program, and has developed partnerships and exchange programs with Chinese Universities and K-12 schools. He is married to Cheryl Watson-Harris, Brooklyn South Borough Director, New York City Public Schools. The Black History Month Breakfast will be held on Thursday March 3, 2016 at the Boston Colonnade Hotel from 8:30 am to 11:00 am.  Mary-dith E. Tuitt, “Ms. Mary” served fourteen (14) years as a Navy Aviation Machinists Mate, first on active duty and then in the active & inactive Reserves. Her military career included positions in Orlando, Florida, San Diego, California, South Weymouth, Massachusetts,Rota, Spain and other Reserves stations. In 1991 she returned to Boston and became a student of East Coast Aero Technical School. Mary did some military archive research on women of color in the United States Navy and in 2010 she received information that as far as the archival research shows she was the first African American Aviation Machinist Mate (jet mechanic) in the Navy.
Mary was born on the Island of Montserrat in the British West Indies to Henrietta and Michael Tuitt. In the mid 1970’s Mary and her brothers came to America to join their parents. She graduated from Boston Technical High School in 1985 before entering the United States Navy. Mary currently serves as Chief of Staff for State Representative Gloria L. Fox. She has worked as Constituent Services Coordinator for Boston City Councillor Charles Yancey, providing support to the underserved communities of Boston. She has worked on various political campaigns. Over the years Mary has always been involved and vested in her community. She served as a volunteer with Boston Public Schools, with various community youth groups, and with her church St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Dorchester, Massachusetts. She has been active with organizations and groups that focus on Veteran and Women’s Issues, and is presently the Vice Chair of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women. Mary is the Senior Vice Commander at the William E. Carter American Legion Post 16, the former Associate member of the Veterans of Foreign War post 1018 and the Organization of African American Veterans. Mary is a proud mother of two children; a daughter Mya and a son Maliek. Mary is a life-long believer of “giving back to the community.” A sampling of Mary’s community activism includes her involvement as: ♣ A Justice of the Peace for Suffolk County ♣ Notary Public for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts ♣ Member of the American Legion Dept Legislative committee and the Committee on International Affairs ♣ A member Board of Trustees for “We Are Educators with A Touch of Class” (WEATOC) ♣ Former Governing Board for Boston Community Leadership Academy – a pilot high school (BCLA) Former member and creator of Family Advisory Council (FAC) for Boston Community Leadership Academy ♣ Former Development Officer for “Fair Foods Incorporated” (a dollar bag program for the needy) FFI ♣ Public Relations Officer for the “Montserrat Progressive Society of Boston” (MPS) ♣ Member of the Codman Hill Neighborhood Civic Association ♣ Host and Producer of an IRadio, VIBE 105.3FM talk show: “Positive Impact” Mary continues to use her many skills to enrich, enhance and empower her Community. ===================== The Black History Month Breakfast will be held on Thursday March 3, 2016 at the Boston Colonnade Hotel from 8:30 am to 11:00 am.  First Sergeant Michael Wiltz took over as Detachment Sergeant for Detachment 6, EUCOM JAC on February 21, 2013. 1SG Wiltz has held a variety of leadership positions throughout his career ranging from Team Sergeant to First Sergeant.
As First Sergeant for an Intelligence Unit, Wiltz serves as the personal adviser to the Commander on all enlisted-related matters, particularly in areas affecting Soldier training. He devotes the majority of his time training, mentoring, counseling, and sponsoring Soldiers and their families. Wiltz also oversees the daily operations of Human Intelligence, Counter Intelligence, and Signal Intelligence Teams within the company while deployed to a theater of operation. Wiltz is currently assisting partner nations in Africa in our combined efforts to counter terrorism. Wiltz was born in Los Angeles, California and also entered the Army there in January 1980. He attended initial training at Fort Dix, New Jersey and graduated as a Rotary Wing Repairman at Fort Eustis, Virginia. Wiltz continued his military education by obtaining additional skills in Aviation, Infantry, Intelligence, Medical, and Transportation Corps giving him nine military occupational skills (MOS). He has served in the 3d Infantry Division, VXIII (18th) Airborne, 10th Special Forces, 7th Transportation Group, Surface Deployment and Distribution Command (SDDC), Joint Task Force-Six, U.S. Army Cadet Command, and the Military Intelligence Readiness Command. Wiltz’s military and civilian education includes all levels of the Noncommissioned Officer Education System, First Sergeant Course, Avionics Equipment Repairer Depot Maintenance Course, Technical Intelligence Analyst Course, Drug Enforcement Administration Course, Senior Reserve Officer Training Instructor Course, Senior Logistics Traffic Management Coordinator Course, Joint Special Operations Intelligence Course, Tactical Combat Tracker Course, Human Intelligence Collection Course, Reid Course on Interviewing and Interrogation, Department of Defense Military Source Handlers Course, Battlefield Forensics Course, and Africa Areas Studies Course. He is pursuing his Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Endicott College, Beverly Massachusetts. Wiltz’s awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, and Meritorious Service Medal. Additional awards include the following: Army Commendation Medal (4th Award), Army Achievement Medal (7th Award), Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Components Achievement Medal (7th Award), National Defense Service Medal (2nd Award), Southwest Asia Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, Iraq Campaign Medal with Campaign Star, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device (4th Award), Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon (3rd Award), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon (2nd Award), Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon (2nd Award), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Liberation Medal (Government of Kuwait), Joint Meritorious Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation (3rd Award), Combat Action Badge, Basic Aviation Badge, Pathfinder Badge, Air Assault Badge, Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver-Wheeled Vehicles Clasp. ===================== The Black History Month Breakfast will be held on Thursday March 3, 2016 at the Boston Colonnade Hotel from 8:30 am to 11:00 am. |
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