Wright Brothers Day, 2009

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Title 3--
The President

Proclamation 8466 of December 16, 2009

Wright Brothers Day, 2009

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

For 12 seconds on December 17, 1903, a wooden aircraft
took to the skies above Kitty Hawk, North Carolina,
lifting two brothers from Dayton, Ohio, to their place
in history. Their singular triumph triggered a
revolution in transportation that would bridge the vast
distances between continents and forever alter our
world. Today, we honor the enduring American spirit of
creativity and innovation that made the Wright
Brothers' maiden flight possible.

Self-taught and financed by the proceeds of their
bicycle shop, the Wright Brothers' success embodies our
Nation's proud tradition of entrepreneurship. In
pursuit of the ageless dream of controlled flight, they
persevered through great challenges. Early design
failures, a skeptical public, and the sheer danger of
their endeavors often tempted the brothers to quit, but
they forged ahead with firm resolve and bold
experimentation to complete their ascent to greatness.

In these challenging times, the story of Orville and
Wilbur Wright reminds us of what can be accomplished
when imagination is joined with tenacity. Their spirit
lives on in every garage and basement workshop where
American innovators still tinker, invent, and discover.
The next Wright Brothers are among us today, working
tirelessly toward a breakthrough that will spark a new
industry and improve countless lives.

We must do all we can to support our Nation's
entrepreneurs. As we work toward a bright future
powered by cutting-edge ideas and new technologies, we
celebrate this day by looking back to the Wright
Brothers, whose achievements affirm the limitless
potential of American ingenuity.

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, 2009, 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 nine, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.