Proclamation 10687—Wright Brothers Day, 2023
December 15, 2023
By the President of the United States of America A Proclamation
One hundred twenty years ago on the sand dunes of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, two brothers forever changed the course of history. Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved one of the most transformative technological advancements in the history of humankind: the first-ever sustained, controlled, and powered flight. This Wright Brothers Day, we honor Wilbur and Orville’s quintessentially American spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and we celebrate their enduring legacy as pioneers who took our Nation to new heights.
On December 17, 1903, after years of arduous research, meticulous designs, and dangerous trials, Wilbur and Orville launched the Wright Flyer. Twelve seconds and 120 feet later, the brothers had achieved controlled flight. Their feat propelled our Nation forward, accelerating advancements in aeronautics and bringing us closer to unlocking the full potential of humanity. Through their determination and bold vision, the Wright Brothers laid the foundations for some of the greatest technological developments on record—from breaking the sound barrier and stepping foot on the moon to flying a helicopter on Mars and launching deep-space telescopes that are answering some of the fundamental questions of the universe. The legacy of the Wright brothers lives on through the talents and spirits of today’s American dreamers and doers.
Most of all, Wilbur and Orville’s advancement led to a new American innovation: modern air travel. My Administration is committed to preserving and investing in this legacy by enhancing safety and comfort from takeoff to landing. Through the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, we are improving airport infrastructure across the country—expanding capacity at airport terminals, increasing energy efficiency, and making air travel more accessible for people with disabilities— all while creating good jobs across our Nation.
I have often said that America can be defined in one word: possibilities. This Wright Brothers Day, let us recognize these two courageous brothers from Dayton, Ohio, for reminding us what we can accomplish when we work together to reach our loftiest dreams and tackle our greatest challenges. May we recommit to carrying forward their bold spirit of creativity and cooperation as we forge a better future for all.
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, Joseph R. Biden Jr., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 2023, as Wright Brothers Day.
In Witness Whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this fifteenth day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-eighth.
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
[Filed with the Office of the Federal Register, 8:45 a.m., December 19, 2023]
NOTE: This proclamation was published in the Federal Register on December 20.
Categories: Proclamations : Wright Brothers Day.
Subjects: Infrastructure improvements; Research and development; Wright Brothers Day.
DCPD Number: DCPD202301119.
A Proclamation on Wright Brothers Day, 2022
DECEMBER 16, 2022
On Wright Brothers Day, we celebrate the ingenuity and perseverance of Orville and Wilbur Wright, whose aircraft expanded the limits of human discovery and lifted this Nation to new heights.
From their home in Dayton, Ohio, the Wright Brothers were captivated — “afflicted,” in Wilbur’s words — by the belief that humans could fly. They researched and experimented, redesigned and repaired, and braved dangerous early trials. When their Wright Flyer finally took to the skies over Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, they launched the future of aviation and helped define the American spirit: bold, daring, innovative, and always asking what is next.
That same spirit has delivered ground-breaking discoveries in American air and space technology for almost 120 years. America has broken the sound barrier, put a man on the moon, collaborated to create the International Space Station, and achieved powered flight on Mars. Just last year, we launched the most powerful deep-space telescope ever sent into space and gained a new window into the history of our universe.
We are also carrying on the Wright Brothers’ legacy by always striving for better safety and comfort in air travel. Our Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is investing $25 billion to renovate airport terminals; upgrade air traffic control facilities; and improve runways, taxiways, and other vital infrastructure that make flying easier and more secure. We have pushed airlines to rebook travelers’ tickets for free when flights are significantly delayed or canceled, and to disclose fees, like for checked baggage, clearly and up front. And we are exploring new technologies that can decrease carbon emissions coming from airplanes.
As inheritors of game-changing innovations and torch-bearers of the spirit of American ingenuity, we have so much to be proud of and so much to look forward to. We can lead the world in the technologies of tomorrow, change the course of human health and disease, tackle the climate crisis, and continue shaping a fairer, more equitable planet. With shared purpose, unyielding faith in our future, and a drive to make the impossible possible, there is nothing beyond our capacity. I have never been more optimistic about our Nation’s future –- especially in our skies and in space.
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, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 2022, 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 twenty-two, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-seventh.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
A Proclamation on Wright Brothers Day, 2021
DECEMBER 16, 2021
PRESIDENTIAL ACTIONS
On December 17, 1903, Wilbur and Orville Wright achieved a feat that humankind had dreamed of since time immemorial — a sustained, controlled, powered flight that opened the skies to all humanity. Today, we honor the extraordinary achievements of the Wright Brothers and celebrate their enduring contributions to America’s unparalleled leadership in flight.
Many intrepid souls had tried and failed at what the two brothers from Dayton, Ohio — inventors, engineers, dreamers — were able to achieve. After years of designing, testing, and building the Wright Flyer in their hometown workshop, they launched it into flight from the sand dunes and wind of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina on that historic day — covering 120 feet in 12 seconds and taking humankind into a new era.
The first flight made history, but it was only the beginning. The Wright Brothers kept innovating. With every flight, they learned how to improve their techniques and their flying machine. As the flights lengthened, their acclaim grew, and they drew interest from people across our Nation and around the world. The Wright Brothers’ unyielding dedication, creativity, and bravery gave birth to modern aviation –skyrocketing our Nation’s leadership in flight, and inspiring generations of Americans to take to the skies.
From Amelia Earhart’s daring solo flights across the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, to the Tuskegee Airmen’s heroic defense of our country in World War II, to brave astronauts who ventured to the Moon and beyond — America’s ingenuity and innovation has continued to soar to new heights. We were the first to break the sound barrier. The first to fly non-stop around the world. Today, we are developing more sustainable fuels and energy sources for the planet, technologies to coordinate increases in air traffic, and satellite systems that can clean up manmade debris in space — and we are harnessing our resources and knowledge from decades of flight missions to take on the existential threat of climate change.
And 118 years after the Wright Brothers’ flight into history, earlier this year the National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) historic Perseverance mission launched the Ingenuity rotorcraft — a small helicopter — 10 feet above the surface of Mars. It was the first powered, controlled takeoff and landing on another celestial body. Tucked beneath the propellers was a small cloth taken from the wing of the original Wright Flyer, which now resides at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. The ground over which Ingenuity hovered is now called Wright Brothers field — an everlasting reminder of America as the Nation of possibilities.
As we continue to build our progress in flight and space technology, we honor our hard-working pilots, aircrews, astronauts, and aviation scientists that make flying possible across the globe. They represent some of the best of who we are as Americans — restless, bold, and optimistic. Thanks to the tenacity and uniquely American spirit of the Wright Brothers and the pioneers who followed them, the skies are open and connecting people and communities around the world.
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, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 2021, 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 twenty-one, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-sixth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
Proclamation 7745 (2003)
December 17, 2003
By the President of the United States of America
A Proclamation
A spirit of exploration and discovery has been a part of the American character since our founding days. Orville and Wilbur Wright exemplified this spirit when they made the dream of human flight a reality on December 17, 1903. On Wright Brothers Day, we honor the vision of these bicycle mechanics from Dayton, Ohio, and celebrate the centennial of manned, powered flight.
One hundred years ago, the Wright brothers changed our world with their 12-second, 120-foot flight in North Carolina. Their achievement inspired other aviation pioneers and marked the beginning of a new era of freedom. Since that first flight, aviation and aerospace technology has advanced at a remarkable pace, allowing us to fly across oceans, break the sound barrier, orbit the Earth, land on the moon, and study our universe in a way our ancestors could not have imagined. Each new generation of engineers and other inventors, following in the Wright Brothers’ footsteps, continues to move the technology of flight further.
Today, air transportation touches the lives of people throughout the United States, and helps unite the American people. Air transportation brings families and friends together, delivers aid to those in need, and facilitates industry and commerce.
As we look to the future, we remember the extraordinary accomplishments of the Wright Brothers. Their determination and innovation continue to inspire us as we embark on the second century of flight.
The Congress, by a joint resolution approved December 17, 1963 (77 Stat. 402; 36 U.S.C. 143) as amended, 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, George W. Bush, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim December 17, 2003, 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 three, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-eighth.
George W. Bush