2/14/2025 10:00:00 AM
During Black History Month (February), the Minnesota Department of Veterans Affairs (MDVA) proudly honors the military achievements and experiences of Black Americans. MDVA is sharing stories of two Black American Veterans in Minnesota, who both served in the Air Force during the Vietnam War era.
A Resident of the /mdva/homes/fergus-falls/index.jspFergus Falls Veterans Home, Jay Lowman joined the Air Force in 1974 to fulfill a desire to serve his country. This drive impacted Jay’s younger siblings that followed his lead also joining the military.
After growing up in Reading, Pennsylvania, Jay enjoyed experiencing the many sights to see in Washington, D.C. while stationed there. This enjoyment proved especially beneficial when capturing images was part of his military assignment and later as he pursued a degree in architectural drafting using /mdva/resources/education/educationbenefits/index.jspGI Bill benefits.
Jay considers photography a way to stay in touch with fellow service members and communicate with people. He says, “I worked as a photographer and photo lab tech. And I kept photography as a hobby after my service—photographing people, landscapes, and animals.”
Celebrating Black History Month for Jay means learning about Black heroes and their lives. With the plans the Fergus Falls Veterans Home has in place; Jay will be busy in February. Robin Greff, Recreation Therapy Coordinator at the Fergus Falls Veterans Home, shares there are events planned for February to:
Additionally, Robin shares how the Veterans Home encourages and is responsive to Resident interests all year long. She says, “Jay expressed an interest in listening to jazz music and enjoying high school sports. We work to create experiences that deliver for Jay and his fellow Residents.”
William E. Randolph is a Resident of the /mdva/homes/minneapolis/index.jspMinneapolis Veterans Home. William joined the Air Force because, “I wanted to travel. I thought this would be the best way to see other places and countries.” Travel he did, including being stationed in Wiesbaden, Germany from 1967-1970, after starting service near his hometown of Cincinnati at Ohio’s Wright-Patterson Air Force Base from 1966-1967.
Reflecting on his time in the Air Force, William worked in security police and appreciates having the opportunity to learn more about himself as a global citizen. “Being around different men and having to learn how to react to certain situations gave me a better understanding of myself,” he said. “My military experience taught me how to get along with people of other cultures, races, and interests.”
William doesn’t believe that being a Black American had an impact on his military experience, other than realizing the potential opportunities that existed. “I also had a master sergeant that I had a friendship with. He was a Black man. I recognized and respected his rank. It made me realize that nothing was impossible.”
Today, William continues to believe it’s important for people to respect each other. He says, “Those who are black should be proud to be black. God bless America.”
To support Resident interests and cultural awareness, the Minneapolis Veterans Home has plans in February to share Motown music, trivia on historic Black Americans, as well as host a speaker to talk about the upcoming Ramadan holiday.
Minneapolis Recreation Therapy Director Shirlee Peterson says, “Our goal is to meet the needs and interests of all of our Veterans and spouses throughout the year by providing programming that not only meets their interests, but introduces them to new and different programs, speakers and community events that they may never have had the opportunity to experience before.”
