[Federal Register Volume 86, Number 242 (Tuesday, December 21, 2021)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 72505-72506]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2021-27841]



[[Page 72503]]

Vol. 86

Tuesday,

No. 242

December 21, 2021

Part VI





The President





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Proclamation 10324--Wright Brothers Day, 2021
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  Federal Register / Vol. 86 , No. 242 / Tuesday, December 21, 2021 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 72505]]

                Proclamation 10324 of December 16, 2021

                
Wright Brothers Day, 2021

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                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.

[[Page 72506]]

                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.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2021-27841
Filed 12-20-21; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3395-F2-P