Wright Brothers Day

Wright Brothers Day is a United States national observation. It is codified in the US Code, and commemorates the first successful flights in a heavier than air, mechanically propelled airplane, that were made by Orville and Wilbur Wright on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. On September 24, 1959 U.S. President Dwight D. Eisenhower declared December 17th to be Wright Brothers Day.

Wright Brothers Day has been announced as an official commemorative day in Ohio, on October 5, 2011, celebrating 100 years of practical flight for the Wright Brothers.

36 U.S. Code § 143 - Wright Brothers Day:

(a) Designation.— December 17 is Wright Brothers Day.

(b) Purpose.— Wright Brothers Day commemorates the first successful flights in a heavier than air, mechanically propelled airplane, that were made by Orville and Wilbur Wright on December 17, 1903, near Kitty Hawk, North Carolina.

(c) Proclamation.— The President is requested to issue each year a proclamation inviting the people of the United States to observe Wright Brothers Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.

(Pub. L. 105–225, Aug. 12, 1998, 112 Stat. 1262.)

Source: wikipedia.org | www.gpo.gov