Contact: Thonnia Lee, Office of Communications, Public Relations and Marketing
Tuskegee, Alabama — To honor the wishes of the late Tuskegee Airman Brigadier General Charles McGee, Genesis Motor America donated his Genesis G80 Sport as a gift in his name to Ƶ. The ceremony was held today, Feb. 1, in the heart of the campus in front of the Kellogg Center and featured representatives from Genesis, Hyundai, and the university.
“Ƶ is honored to receive such a special gift from Gen. McGee,” said Dr. Charlotte P. Morris, president of Ƶ. “Gen. McGee, who died in 2022, was the eldest of the surviving airmen and carried a legacy that we will always honor. We accept his gift with great humility.”
The Genesis G80 was leased to General McGee as a thank you for his service to the country on his 100th birthday. When he passed, Genesis wanted to honor his wishes with the vehicle and donate the Genesis G80 Sport to Ƶ, where Gen. McGee trained, advocated, and became a decorated Tuskegee Airmen.
“Genesis was proud to recognize the late Brigadier General Charles McGee’s sacrifice and lifetime of service by providing him a Genesis G80 on his 100th birthday,” said José Muñoz, president and CEO, Genesis Motor North America. “Genesis is proud to donate Brigadier General Charles McGee’s Genesis G80 to Ƶ, an institution that has a long, rich history of significant contributions to American society.”
Gen. McGee, who was one of the first African American aviators and one of the last original Tuskegee Airmen received a Congressional Gold Medal with other Tuskegee Airmen in 2007 from President George W. Bush. On Feb. 4, 2020, he was promoted from colonel to brigadier general after turning 100 two months before. President Donald J. Trump pinned the stars on the retired general in the Oval Office at the White House and recognized him during the State of the Union Address as a Gallery guest.
The university will use the car to remind the students and university community of the impact the Tuskegee Airmen made and their role in history today.
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