Wings of Opportunity author Julie Williams inducted to First Flight Society

Julie Williams had an exciting day when she was granted membership to the First Flight Society. The society, which seeks to memorialize the Wright Brothers’ accomplishments and promote aviation, inducted Williams, author of Wings of Opportunity: The Wright Brothers in Montgomery, Alabama, 1910, at a recent organization event.

Julie sent us her impressions from the event:

I have been honored this week with a membership in the First Flight Society in connection with my work on the Wright Brothers in Alabama, as shown in my book, Wings of Opportunity:  The Wright Brothers in Montgomery, Alabama, 1910.  I was invited to speak about the Wright Brothers in Alabama on the 107th anniversary of the first flight, made by Wilbur and Orville Wright in 1903 at Kitty Hawk, NC.  In fact, I spoke to the Society at Kitty Hawk.

I gave the address to the First Flight Society at the invitation of Lois Smith, whose grandfather, John T. Daniels, took the famous picture of the first flight.  This was very significant for me, as my two sisters had Lois as a social studies teacher in 7th grade when we were growing up in Raleigh, NC.  I didn’t have her as a teacher and was so disappointed!  She had connections to that famous photo, and she got to go to the coast every December 17 on the anniversary of the first flight in order to take part in many festivities. I found that so fascinating as a youngster.  I never dreamed that 39 years later I would accompany her.  It was a delight to FINALLY get Lois as my “teacher!”

Julie and Wings of Opportunity were also mentioned on Birmingham Fox 6’s Good Day, Alabama morning show. Susan Swagler of Birmingham Magazine and the Turn the Page blog named Wings of Opportunity a recommended read about an unknown chapter in Alabama’s aviation history.

Wings of Opportunity:  The Wright Brothers in Montgomery, Alabama, 1910 is available from NewSouth Books, Amazon.com or your favorite retail or online bookseller.