Wright Brothers Day, 2010

Proclamation 8617 of December 17, 2010

Wright Brothers Day, 2010

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On December 17, 1903, after years of determination and
creativity, Orville and Wilbur Wright's wooden aircraft
sailed the steady winds of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina
and conquered the age-old dream of manned flight. That
day, the two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, could only
imagine what we now know--that those moments aloft in
the North Carolina sky would send mankind on a
revolutionary journey and modernize transportation. On
this day, we celebrate their historic accomplishment,
the limitless potential they represent, and the vision
they spurred for the next generation of inventors and
entrepreneurs.

The Wright brothers' monumental achievement solidified
their place in history and earned them status as
American and global icons. They moved aviation from a
curiosity into an indispensable global industry. Self-
taught and relentless in their years of work and
experimentation, these brothers were a shining
illustration of the limitless capacity of human
intellect and the resourcefulness of the American
entrepreneur. As part of an era of great visionaries,
Orville and Wilbur Wright helped hasten an age of
discovery and great technological advancement. Their
unyielding pursuit of powered flight stands as a proud
example for young and curious minds eager to transform
and advance the world around them.

Just as the Wright brothers' breakthrough led to a new
industry that forever altered our world, a new
generation of space pioneers is now following in their
footsteps and setting our Nation's sights even higher.
Working with the National Aeronautics and Space
Administration and the Federal Aviation Administration,
leaders in spaceflight are making great progress in
ushering in a new commercial space industry that can
help boost our economy, create new jobs, and take
Americans to soaring new heights.

America's long history of technological leadership and
innovation has been the product of learning and
ingenuity. To maintain this tradition and propel it
forward, America must empower the next generation of
doers and makers. We must ensure our Nation's students
receive the world-class mathematics and science
education they need to challenge the boundaries of
human knowledge and realize tomorrow what we can only
dream today. We must also ready our children to become
the entrepreneurs whose tenacity and creativity will
power the engine of our Nation's economy for centuries
to come. On Wright Brothers Day, in remembrance of that
celebrated flight, let us recommit to preparing the
next generation of scientists, engineers, inventors,
and entrepreneurs to create a future of promise and
progress.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December
17, 1963, as amended (77 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 143), has
designated December 17 of each year as ``Wright
Brothers Day'' and has authorized and requested the
President to issue annually a proclamation inviting the
people of the United States to observe that day with
appropriate ceremonies and activities.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim December
17, 2010, as Wright Brothers Day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
seventeenth day of December, in the year of our Lord
two thousand ten, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.