From Bessie Coleman, to the Tuskegee Airmen, to astronauts, this program has it all! Hear about the exploits of African American pilot Bessie Coleman in story and performance. Listen to Tuskegee Airmen tell their stories. Meet the first all-female, all-African American commercial flight crew. Find out about space from NASA engineers and an astronaut.
All Day Activities (10 AM – 3 PM)
Design a Tuskegee Airmen Squadron Badge
Construct a pair of binoculars and go “plane spotting”
Create an Astronaut Mission Patch
Make an aviator’s license—just like Bessie Coleman (while supplies last)
See planes designed and built by WAMALUG
(The Washington Metro Area LEGO Users Group)
Scheduled Events—Early Flight (Gallery 107)
Theater
Bessie Coleman, Flyin’ Free
Discovery Theater Program
11:30AM, 1 PM,& 2 PM
Storytime
Nobody Owns the Sky: The Story of Brave Bessie Coleman
11 AM & 1:30 PM
Special Guests and Presentations
We’re sorry, our special guests will NOT be signing autographs or posing for photos. Thank you for understanding.
In Space Race (Gallery 114)
NASA Astronaut, Leland D. Melvin (STS-122 & STS-129)
10: 30 AM & 2:30 PM
Retired NASA Astronaut, Dr. Mae Jemison
First African American Woman in Space (STS-47, Spacelab-J)
11:30 AM
“Race and the Space Race” Includes participants in Soundprint’s upcoming new radio documentary. Host Richard Paul will chat with two-ground-breaking engineers from the early years of NASA, Morgan Watson and Julius Montgomery. They will be joined by the show’s narrator Dr. Mae Jemison, and current astronaut Leland Melvin.
12:15 PM
In America by Air (Gallery 102)
Members of the East Coast Chapter of the Tuskegee Airmen
11:00 AM & 12:45 PM
From Atlantic Southwest Airlines: Captain Rachelle Jones, First Officer Stephanie Grant and flight attendants Diana Galloway and Robin Rogers, who made history as the first all female, all African American commercial crew.
12 Noon and 1:45PM
Book signing (in front of Museum Store)
Dr. Mae Jemison will sign her book, Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from My Life.
1 PM – 2 PM
Dr. Jemison will ONLY sign books purchased from the Museum bookshop.
This event is made possible through the generous support of the Northrop Grumman Corporation.