Air Zoo Blog
Category: Women in Air and Space
Friday, Feb 24, 2023
Women’s History at the Air Zoo: Cool!
Recently, a fourth grader on an Air Zoo fieldtrip admired our P-40 Warhawk with his friends on the mezzanine. After examining the historic pink plane hanging in our atrium, he turned to see that same plane flying in a nearby video. He looked back at the airplane, then back at the video screen, and anyone lucky enough to be near saw (and heard) when he made the connection. “Hey!” he shouted, “That’s the same plane! That’s that lady’s plane!” He sprang ...
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Friday, May 6, 2022
Oceans to Astronauts
May 6, 2022 Portage, MI – Opportunity abounds at the Air Zoo this month as scientist and innovator, Adle Luta, joins the Air Zoo team, Thursday, May 12th, to inspire young math and science lovers to dream big and work hard, while sharing stories of inspiration and perseverance with learners of all ages.
Join friends and neighbors for a night of storytelling involving human spaceflight and how Adele Luta’s work, including supporting the next missions to the moo...
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at Friday, May 6, 2022
Tuesday, Mar 1, 2022
Suit Up for Women's History at the Air Zoo!
At the Air Zoo, celebrating Women’s History Month really *suits* us! That’s why it’s especially rewarding to share the story of superstar aerobatic champion, Patty Wagstaff, and her flight suit.
Patty Wagstaff is a three-time U.S. National Aerobatic Champion—the first woman to earn the title. Patty’s flying passion soared when her father, a Japan Airlines captain, welcomed her to take the controls of his DC-6. Patty has represented America in Olympic-level inter...
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Thursday, Dec 30, 2021
Before They Were WASP, They Were CAP
Did you know that many Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP)—including Air Zoo Co-founder Sue Parish—first served as part of the Civil Air Patrol (CAP)?
Approved by the United States Commerce, Navy, and War departments in 1941, the CAP recruited American civilian pilots eager to use their aviation skills for national defense. Men and women answered the call and volunteered in many ways. They provided surveillance, missing aircraft searches, forest patrols, and much more. Prior to ...
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Monday, Jul 12, 2021
A Table, a Timeline, and the Visual Representation of Gender at the Air Zoo
Designed to serve as the hub of the Air Zoo’s Women in Air & Space exhibit series, our Women in Air & Space Interactive Timeline not only allowed us to share the stories of more than 50 inspirational women with our guests, but it also called upon a commitment to expanding diversity, equity, accessibility, inclusion, and the visual representation of gender on our exhibit floor.
Just as we began to dream our women’s timeline into action, the Air Zoo received a remarkable gi...
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Tuesday, Jun 29, 2021
Bolles Breaks Barriers
When choosing stories for our new, inhouse exhibit, Women in Air & Space Interactive Timeline, we sought to present a panorama of women of diverse backgrounds, cultures, and abilities. Co-funders for the exhibit, the Association of Science and Technology Centers (ASTC) and the IF/THEN Initiative/Lyda Hill Philanthropies, introduced us to an amazing group of diverse women making contributions in their air and space careers today. Among the IF/THEN ambassadors we discovered, NASA&rsquo...
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Monday, May 31, 2021
Astronaut Christina Koch
As we curate and install a beautiful new space-themed wallpaper and welcome a cosmically cool traveling exhibit, Be the Astronaut (May 28 – September 12, 2021), we’ve got space adventure fever! The same could be said for Michigan-born Christina Koch (b. 1979), whose longings for space travel drove her to “be the astronaut.”
As a child, Christina loved things that made her feel small: the oc...
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Wednesday, Apr 28, 2021
Asian American Aviatrix: Hazel Ying Lee
In the early 1930s, when Oregon-born Hazel Ying Lee (1912-1944) dreamed of becoming a pilot, her mother advised her, “It’s not ladylike to fly.” Hazel disagreed. To save money for flying lessons, she worked as a department store elevator operator—one of few jobs opened to Chinese women in America. The Portland Chinese Benevolent Society sponsored Hazel’s flying program and the young pilot took to the sky by age 19.
A proud WASP during WW...
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Monday, Mar 1, 2021
The Wright Sister
When leaving their mark on aviation innovation heritage, the Wright brothers did not act alone. A woman helped make their legacy possible.
In 1909, World magazine called the Wright brothers’ younger sister, Katharine, “the American Girl Whom All Europe is Watching.” Katharine Wright served her brothers as a silent partner. Without asking for notoriety, Katharine assisted with experiments, kept her brothe...
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Monday, Feb 1, 2021
Honoring Black History Month at the Air Zoo - Mae Jemison
Mae C. Jemison
Born in Decatur Alabama in 1956, Mae Jemison moved with her family to Chicago, Illinois at age 3. As a child, Mae loved to dance and could be found in her school library in the science section thumbing through books about astronomy. While she watched and took interest in the news and broadcasts surrounding NASA’s Apollo Space Program, Mae felt disappointed by the absence of women astronauts. Mae appreciated what she saw in the role of...
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at Monday, Feb 1, 2021
Monday, Feb 1, 2021
Honoring Black History Month at the Air Zoo - Willa Brown
Willa Brown
Willa Beatrice Brown (1906-1992) made history two years in a row as the first black woman in America to earn a pilot’s license in 1938, immediately followed by a commercial flight license in 1939. She also made history when she became the first black woman commissioned as a U.S. Civil Air Patrol lieutenant in Illinois. Her ambitions also led Willa to run for office, which made her the first black woman to run for United States Congress.&...
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at Monday, Feb 1, 2021
Monday, Feb 1, 2021
Honoring Black History Month at the Air Zoo - Ida Van Smith
Ida Van Smith (1917-2003)
Born in Lumberton, North Carolina, Ida Van Smith taught history and special education in New York City Public Schools after pursuing her undergraduate degree from Shaw University and her master’s degree from Queens College.
In 1967, Ida made a dream come true at age 50 when she learned to fly! She applied her gift of teaching skills to aviation when she earned both her private pilot’s license and instructor rating. ...
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Come visit us.
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Great place! Very interesting educational and informational! Great place to take the whole family as there is something for young children up to adults!
blackeyedsusan2018
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We took our grown daughters and young grandsons to the Air Zoo. It was very entertaining for all of us. There is so much to see and do. Rides for the whole family!
Rick C