A recently-installed statue honoring a Tuskegee Airman who returned to Detroit after he had been a prisoner of war during World War II was stolen from Rouge Park, Detroit police announced Thursday night.
The statue of the late Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson was reported missing on Wednesday. Police believe whoever stole the statue did so overnight between Tuesday and Wednesday and transported it in a moving truck.
The Tuskegee Airmen were a segregated group of Black military pilots who notoriously overcame discrimination to become one of the most respected fighters during WWII . At the time, Black Americans in many states were living under Jim Crow laws. Jefferson and other Black college graduates were trained to become fighter pilots during the war at Tuskegee University in Alabama. Former Detroit Mayor Coleman A. Young was a Tuskegee Airman as well.
Jefferson’s unit, the Red Tails, escorted bomber flights in Europe and were highly successful, a Detroit police news release detailed. In 1944 Jefferson was shot down over southern France during a mission, captured by Nazi forces, and for nine months held as a prisoner of war. He was freed and returned home to Detroit 1945. He became a beloved school teacher and champion of the legacy of Tuskegee Airmen.
Jefferson died in June 2022 at age 100. In June of this year, the life-size statue of Jefferson was unveiled in Rouge Park, near Joy Road and Spinoza Drive, where Detroit police said he flew model airplanes as a child.
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Jefferson’s granddaughter, Ernestine Lavergne, said in a statment Thursday that the family is “deepely sadden and disheartened” by the theft.
“This statue has stood not just as a piece of art, but as a symbol of our community’s history, values, and collective memory. To many, it represents a cherished reminder of our shared past and the lessons we carry forward,” Lavergne said.
“This act of theft goes beyond vandalism; it is a loss to everyone who found meaning, connection, and pride in that statue and the heroic actions of the Tuskegee Airmen. We ask that anyone with information come forward to help us restore this important symbol to its rightful place.”
And, “despite this unfortunate event, we remain united as a community. We will not allow this incident to diminish the pride we feel in our shared heritage,” she continued.
The statue was created by Austen Brantley who was described as a self-taught sculptor from Detroit whose work “lives at the intersection of African and Greek cultures,” according to a city of Detroit news release.
Detroit police are offering a $5,000 dollar reward for information leading to the statue’s return. Those with information can call the 6th Precinct at 313-596-5640, CrimeStoppers at 1-800-Speak Up, or DetroitRewards.tv.
Andrea Sahouri covers criminal justice for the Detroit Free Press. Contact her atasahouri@freepress.com or on X:@andreamsahouri.