[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 130, 114th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9557 of December 16, 2016

Wright Brothers Day, 2016

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On December 17, 1903, two brothers from Dayton, Ohio successfully flew
the world's first powered aircraft. The plane remained airborne for only
12 seconds, but Orville and Wilbur Wright's innovative legacy has
endured for generations--unleashing unparalleled possibilities and
forever transforming our way of life. On Wright Brothers Day, we
celebrate the determination and ingenuity that drove their pursuit and
recommit to shaping the future through our ideas and discoveries.
As self-taught mechanics, the Wright brothers devoted years to research
and experimentation before taking their talents and creativity to the
strong winds above Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, where they completed the
monumental first flight. Their mother, Susan, spent considerable time in
her youth designing and building mechanical appliances; she guided her
children whenever she could and always encouraged them to chase their
curiosities. As Orville and Wilbur grew, they followed their
entrepreneurial instincts, launching a newspaper and later opening a
bicycle shop to sell their designs. Their resilience through early
failed attempts at flight, and their resolve to dream big in the face of
that which had never been done before, still serves as an inspiration.
Our capacity to harness new inventions and technologies to tackle our
greatest challenges has allowed our Nation to lead the world in
innovation. From sending people into the skies and outer space to
finding ways to instantly communicate with others across the globe, the
cre

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ativity inherent in our DNA and our commitment to science have sparked
our progress and set us apart. The same American spirit of innovation
that led the Wright brothers to test their theories again and again--
finding ways to make things work and then make them even better--is
still reflected in the imagination and tenacity that move inventors and
explorers to push the frontiers of what is known and achieve
groundbreaking feats that were once unimaginable.
In upholding this legacy, we must resolve to help all young Americans
understand that they can have a place in advancing science and
technology--regardless of their race, gender, or circumstances.
Brilliant ideas can come from anyone and anywhere, and it is our
obligation to increase the availability of science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM) training and encourage the next generation
to pursue STEM careers. This commitment to science and innovation can
revitalize our communities and economies and reignite our shared sense
of optimism and opportunity.
Today, we reflect on the century of flight the Wright brothers helped
make possible. Their story reminds us not just of where we have been,
but where we still can go when we foster ingenuity and discovery and
refuse to accept the sky as the limit. With the right investments and
the perseverance of dreamers and doers who see a challenge and yearn to
find a solution, there is nothing we cannot achieve.
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, 2016, 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 sixteen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
first.
BARACK OBAMA