[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 126, 112th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
PROCLAMATION 8918--DEC. 17, 2012

Proclamation 8918 of December 17, 2012

Wright Brothers Day, 2012

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

After years of research and experimentation, 12 seconds of powered
flight over the hills of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, vindicated the
passion and resolve with which Wilbur and Orville Wright pursued their
lifelong dream. Like so many Americans before and after them, these two
men achieved the unthinkable, and their achievements changed our way of
life. On Wright Brothers Day, we reflect on their astonishing feat and
celebrate the ambition it still inspires more than a century later.
Wilbur and Orville Wright were the kind of entrepreneurs Americans
everywhere root for. Their inspiration sparked from their mother,
Susan--a gifted mathematician in her own right who challenged her
children to think big and dream bold. The brothers overcame years of

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personal hardship to open their own bicycle shop in Dayton, Ohio,
quickly improving on the designs of the bikes they sold and eventually
expanding to manufacture their own models. As they mastered their craft,
they turned their attention skyward. Similar stories of resilient, canny
entrepreneurship have unfolded throughout our Nation's history--from the
founding of our airlines and auto industry to the growth of our research
institutions and small businesses. While each journey has been unique,
all have advanced that same brand of rugged determination to stay ahead
of the curve and keep America moving forward.
With their game-changing feat, the Wright brothers earned their place in
history as innovators who helped trigger America's rise as an economic
superpower, and whose example inspired the kind of businesses and
industries that built and grew our middle class. As we mark Wright
Brothers Day, let us carry their legacy forward by taking on new
challenges with tenacity and meeting our hardships with courage,
confident that our shared future is bright and our best days are still
ahead.
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, 2012, 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 twelve, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-
seventh.
BARACK OBAMA