American Airlines
has commemorated Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by sponsoring and participating in local parades and other activities.In addition to numerous employee volunteer activities undertaken throughout the nation, American Airlines was the presenting sponsor of the Elite News Martin Luther King Parade in Dallas.  Dave Campbell, American Airlines Vice President - Alliance and Kansas
City Base Maintenance, served as the parade’s Grand Marshal.  The theme of
American’s Dallas float was “The Evolution of Flight.”
  In addition, American also participated in Tulsa’s 25th Anniversary
Martin Luther King, Jr. Parade.  Carmine Romano, American’s Vice President -
Tulsa Base Maintenance led American’s Tulsa employees in the parade.
As one of the parade’s longest-running corporate participants, American’s
involvement in this parade continues to grow as employees from around its
network join the festivities.  Employees from New York, Los Angeles, Dallas,
Chicago, Miami, Kansas City, and Raleigh-Durham flew in to join the
celebration.  American has been regularly recognized as a float winner,
including first place honors in the “Best of Parade” category in 2000, 2002
and 2004.  The theme for this year’s employee-built float was “Capturing the
Dream: United we Stand, Divided we Fall!”  In addition to sponsoring a float,
American also sponsors a drill team each year.
  “American Airlines understands the significant role Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., played for all people of color, particularly African-Americans, and
this country.  We have been involved in the African-American community for
many years and as a company keenly focused on diversity and community
involvement, we believe it is important to visibly pay tribute to the legacy
of such a great leader,” said Debra Hunter Johnson, Vice President-Global
Human Resources Services for American Airlines.
  She further commented that American’s participation in Martin Luther King
activities around the country demonstrates the importance of empowering
African-American communities and the positive impact American’s size and scope
has on the communities it serves.  “At American Airlines, we are a part of the
communities we serve and have remained heavily involved despite the industry’s
challenges in recent years,” Hunter Johnson added.  American recently
sponsored its 20th year as the United Negro College Fund’s official airline
sponsor for An Evening of Stars, the organization’s annual fundraising event.
In addition, the airline was recently awarded the Dallas Black Dance Theatre’s
Community Arts Award for its longstanding support of the arts.
——-