There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian’s Terms of Use page.
To view items in this collection, use the Online Finding Aid
This Moisant Family Scrapbooks consist of three oversized scrapbooks containing newspaper accounts of the Moisants' flying escapades, as well as press releases and writings. The articles also discuss the following aviators who were involved with the Moisants: Harriet Quimby, Roland Garros, Rene Barrier, Rene Simon, John J. Frisbie, Charles Hamilton, and Shakir S. Jerwan.
The Moisant Family -- John, Alfred and Matilde -- helped spark America's early interest in aviation. John Moisant (1868-1910) trained at the Bleriot School in France and made the first successful cross-country, passenger-carrying flight from Paris to London in 1910. That fall he competed in the Gordon-Bennett Trophy Races but was killed in December while flying an exhibition in New Orleans, LA. His brother Alfred was president of the Moisant Aviation School and of the Hempstead Plains Aviation Company, 1911. Alfred also organized the Moisant International Aviators, Inc., which embarked upon a series of flight exhibitions in the United States and Mexico, 1911-1912. The Moisants' sister, Matilde (1887-1964), joined the family's exhibition tour and was the second American woman to become a licensed pilot. Matilde established two altitude records before giving up exhibition flying in 1912.
NASM.XXXX.0535
Moisant, Matilde, 1887-1964
1910-1912
Lt. Col. John L. Miles, Gift, 1942, NASM.XXXX.0535.
Please handle the scrapbooks very carefully, as they are in poor condition due to general use.
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM), Archives Division also holds additional materials about the Moisant Family. Biographical information can be found in the biographical fiche collection at the NASM Archives/Garber Facility. In the NASM archives downtown facility, we recommend the Biographical Files which contain additional newspaper and journal articles, letters, memorabilia and photographs. For more information on John Moisant, please see the John B. Moisant Scrapbook Collection (Accession number XXXX-0536) on microfiche.
The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) Archives also holds additional materials about the Moisant Family. Biographical information can be found in the Biographical series of the National Air and Space Museum Technical Reference Files, NASM.XXXX.1183, which contain additional newspaper and journal articles, letters, memorabilia, and photographs. For more information on John Moisant, please see the John B. Moisant Scrapbook Microfiche, NASM.XXXX.0536. For photographic materials please see the Videodisc Imagery Collection, NASM.XXXX.1000. In some cases, there are original print photographs available in the NASM Archives and copy negatives at the Smithsonian Institution Archives. Please consult a staff member for more details and information about ordering reproductions.
This collection consists of three oversized scrapbooks containing newspaper accounts of the Moisants' flying escapades, as well as press releases and writings. The articles also discuss the following aviators who were involved with the Moisants: Harriet Quimby, Roland Gerros, Rene Barrier, Rene Simon, John J. Frisbie, Charles Hamilton, and Shakir S. Jerwan. Dates, condition of scrapbooks, and a brief description of content for each scrapbook are listed below.
Three stand-alone scrapbooks; no arrangement.
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
No restrictions on access
Moisant Family Scrapbooks, Acc. XXXX-0535, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Aeronautics
Flight training
Aeronautics -- Exhibitions
Airplane racing
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks