Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum Announces Fall Lectures

This fall, the National Air and Space Museum’s evening lectures will explore the stories of women and people of color in aviation and spaceflight, from NASA’s first female astronauts to the desegregation of commercial aviation. Lectures take place at one of the museum’s two locations and will also be streamed online. All lectures are free to the public, but they require advance registration.

Wednesday, Sept. 6: “Trailblazers in Conversation: Astronauts Fisher, Seddon, Sullivan, and Melroy”
The fall lecture lineup kicks off in September with the museum’s annual John H. Glenn Lecture in Space History. “Trailblazers in Conversation: Astronauts Fisher, Seddon, Sullivan, and Melroy” will take place Sept. 6 at 8 p.m. ET at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia. Pamela Melroy, NASA deputy administrator and former astronaut and space shuttle commander, will moderate a panel discussion with Dr. Anna Fisher, Dr. Rhea Seddon and Kathryn Sullivan, three of the first women to be selected as NASA astronauts. Fisher, Seddon and Sullivan were members of NASA’s historic 1978 astronaut candidate class, which included the agency’s first women astronauts, first Black astronauts and first Asian American astronaut. The John H. Glenn Lecture in Space History is made possible by the support of Boeing. 

Wednesday, Sept. 13: “Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr. and the Desegregation of Commercial Air Transportation”
This fall’s Aviation Adventures lectures will focus on stories from the museum’s “America by Air” exhibition, which explores the history of commercial aviation. “Congressman Charles C. Diggs Jr. and the Desegregation of Commercial Air Transportation” will take place Sept. 13 at 8 p.m. ET at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Brown University professor Marion E. Orr will discuss the legacy of Congressman Charles Diggs, who played a key role in desegregating “Jim Crow” airport terminals and opening employment opportunities in aviation for Black Americans during his career. 

Thursday, Oct. 26: “The Pan Am Stewardess at War and Peace”
“The Pan Am Stewardess at War and Peace” will take place Oct. 26 at 8 p.m. ET at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Julia Cooke, author of the book Come Fly the World: The Jet Age Story of the Women of Pan Am, will discuss the often-overlooked contributions of Pan American Airways stewardesses to addressing the geopolitical crises of the 1960s and ’70s, from escorting dignitaries and refugees to flying into war zones. After the lecture, Cooke will sign copies of Come Fly the World, which will be available for purchase from the museum store. 

Attendees at the Aviation Adventures lectures Sept. 13 and Oct. 26 will have a chance to explore “America by Air” after the lecture concludes.  

The Aviation Adventures Lectures Series is made possible by the support of GE Aerospace. 

All lectures will be presented in person at the noted locations above and streamed live on the National Air and Space Museum’s YouTube channel. Registration is required for guests wishing to attend in person and encouraged for guests who wish to attend virtually. Registration links for and more information about each lecture are on the museum’s website.  

The National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C., is located at Sixth Street and Independence Avenue S.W. and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free, but timed entry passes are required to visit the museum’s location in Washington. The museum’s Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center is located in Chantilly, Virginia, near Washington Dulles International Airport, and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is free for the Udvar-Hazy Center, but there is a $15 fee for parking. 

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