C. R. Smith Museum Once Again Aims for the Sky

FORT WORTH, Texas, Jan. 25, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- American Airlines C. R. Smith Museum hosts a "Celebration of 100 Years of Black Aviation" with special presentations by Donald E. "Don" Elder, an original member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, and C. B. Rice, a historian and author. The Jan. 29 event is an aviation themed kick-off for Black History Month in February.

There are many firsts for Black aviators: Some were among the earliest fliers, taking to the skies in the wake of the Wright Brothers. In 1921, Bessie Coleman was the first African American woman to earn her pilot's license. The African American airmen, trained at The Tuskegee Institute during World War Two, served with distinction and bravery, eventually earning the group the Congressional Gold Medal. During the Space Age, more firsts included Guion "Guy" Bluford as the first African American into space. Dr. Mae Jemison was the first African American woman into space. In 2007, Barrington Irving flew around the world in 96 days to become the youngest – just 23 years-old – and first Black pilot to fly solo around the world.

The celebration starts Saturday, Jan. 29 at 3 p.m. CST at the C.R. Smith Museum located at State Highway 360 and FAA Road. The presentation is free with museum admission: adults $4; military, seniors, kids 2-18 $2.

About the C.R. Smith Museum

The C.R. Smith Museum takes visitors on a flight through American Airlines history, with interactive exhibits that entice participation by all age groups. The museum features hundreds of historical artifacts, photographs, full-scale aircraft engines and a rare Douglas DC-3 airliner. In addition, the museum's state of the art digital theater features The Spirit of American, a film, featuring the history of commercial aviation as well as breathtaking aerial photography

Current AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR) releases can be accessed on the Internet.

The address is http://www.aa.com

SOURCE American Airlines

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