Wright Brothers Day, 2015

Proclamation 9382 of December 16, 2015

Wright Brothers Day, 2015

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

The prospect of human flight captured the world's
imagination for centuries. From the ancient Greeks who
marveled at the story of Icarus soaring through the
sky, to Leonardo da Vinci who sketched designs of
manned mechanical gliders, humanity's unyielding push
skyward speaks to our resolve to transcend limits and
redefine what is possible. On December 17, 1903, two
American brothers reached a milestone in this age-old
pursuit by, after years of planning and research,
successfully launching the world's first flight of a
powered airplane. On Wright Brothers Day, our Nation
commemorates this achievement and celebrates the spirit
of innovation that drives American inventors,
entrepreneurs, and scientists by reaffirming our
support for them in their goals to push the boundaries
of human capability.

Our country's founding ideals of freedom of thought and
expression are not only necessary for upholding the
inherent dignity and respect of every individual, but
they are also fundamental ingredients for fostering
scientific discovery. These values compelled the
Pilgrims to set out and seek new lives and prompted
revolutionaries to forge a new Nation. The great
thinkers and innovators that have always moved America
forward have done so by challenging convention, sharing
ideas, and reimagining the future through new
inventions and beliefs.

Before the 19th century, few thought human flight was
an endeavor worth investigating. But in the decades
leading up to the 20th century, a handful of devoted
dreamers began conducting aeronautical research that
eventually fell on the ears of two enthusiastic bicycle
mechanics from Dayton, Ohio, who would push past what
others deemed impossible and take to the sky, spark a
new and lasting industry, and change the course of
history. Wilbur and Orville Wright spent their
childhood tinkering and building, their passions fueled
by their mother, Susan, who shared these interests and
had considerable mechanical skills. The brothers opened
a bicycle shop, where they honed their understanding of
the concepts of balance, control, aerodynamics, and
lightweight yet sound structures--laying the foundation
for their groundbreaking achievement. Years of
meticulous observation, building, and experimentation
culminated on one frigid, windy morning on a sandy
beach in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where the Wright
brothers made their successful flight.

The invention of the airplane not only contributed to
our understanding of physics and engineering--it
profoundly altered our world. People and goods began
moving across the globe at an unprecedented pace, new
industries and fields of discovery sprang to life, and
advances in aviation launched a new era of possibility
in which our countrymen would walk on the moon just 66
years after that first 12 second flight.

Today, American entrepreneurs and scientists are
continuing the legacy of the Wright brothers by making
new discoveries and pushing boundaries--from the
furthest reaches of our universe to the greatest
mysteries of the human brain. To keep our Nation on the
forefront of breakthroughs that will define the future,
we must continue investing in pioneering research,

innovative startups, and programs that encourage
science, technology, engineering, and math education
for our daughters and sons. And we must keep fostering
an atmosphere in our communities and classrooms where
lifetime quests for knowledge are encouraged, where
glimmers of curiosity are sparked, and where the next
generation of explorers and inventors are celebrated.
On Wright Brothers Day, let us recommit to cultivating
the insatiable hunger for advancement that takes
humanity to new frontiers, and let us stand with those
who never stop challenging the limits of what we know
to be possible.

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, 2015, as Wright Brothers Day.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
sixteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord two
thousand fifteen, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and fortieth.