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EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024

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Education
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August 5, 2024
Tuskegee Airman Retired Col. James Harvey, III autographs hats and books for the Sulton kids. (Photos: Anne T. Sulton, Esq.)
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Oshkosh, WI: Last week, more than 685,000 people from 98 countries traveled to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, to experience the EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2024. 

More than ten thousand arrived by air, piloting small homebuilt aircraft, ultralights, vintage planes, helicopters, and state of the art military aircraft. Nearly 50,000 arrived in small and large RVs – camping for the entire week of stunning day and night airshows, fantastic fireworks, magnificent displays by aircraft builders, special exhibits by aviation enthusiasts, and the unique KidVenture venue.

KidVenture was fabulous, offering hands-on STEM-oriented activities for children. Experts provided demonstrations showing how some aircraft components function and instructions on how to build them. An impressive booth honoring the Tuskegee Airmen was among the special exhibits, with Tuskegee Airman Retired Col. James Harvey, III signing autographs.

Among the aviation enthusiasts were Gigi Coleman (great niece of Bessie Coleman and heading the Bessie Coleman Aviation All-stars youth program), Theresa Claiborne (first African American female to fly for the U.S. Air Force and recently retired United Airlines Captain, flying the Boeing 787 on international flights), and Caroline “Blaze” Jensen (retired Lt. Col. from U.S. Air Force and former member of the internationally renowned U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds).

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Meeting up with all three at the KidVenture venue was very special. Having just received autographed hats and books from Harvey, the Sulton kids were treated to detailed discussions with Claiborne and Jensen about their current and forthcoming children’s books. They discussed potential future story lines of particular interest to young children and teenagers.

Completing our AirVenture 2024 experience was the Embry-Riddle dinner. Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University is considered the most prestigious university in the world specializing in preparing industry leaders in aviation and aerospace. It attracted more than 1,000 people for its Wednesday night dinner gathering of faculty, staff, students and alum. 

For more information about EAA and its next Airventure in July 2025, please visit eaa.org.

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Author
Dr. Anne Sulton, Esq.

Since receiving her law degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1985, Anne has focused her law practice on litigating civil rights cases in federal courts. In recognition of her outstanding achievements as a civil rights attorney, she received the coveted “William Robert Ming Advocacy Award” from the NAACP at its July 2007 National Convention in Detroit.

Anne also holds a Ph.D. in criminology and criminal justice from the University of Maryland-College Park. She has served as a faculty member at several colleges and universities, including Spelman College in Atlanta, Howard University in Washington, DC, and New Jersey City University. As a criminologist, Anne has conducted empirical research, and published articles and books on criminal justice topics. Anne frequently gives keynote speeches on civil rights, crime prevention, and urban education. She also serves as an expert witness.

Anne has given dozens of keynote speeches. Among her major addresses are a Wingspread Briefing on Crime Prevention and the Wilmington, Delaware NAACP Freedom Fund Banquet. She has appeared on scores of television and radio programs, including the McNeil Lehrer Newshour and CNN.

She currently serves as our Senior International Correspondent, covering stories in Japan, Thailand, India, Zimbabwe, Brazil, Dubai, France, Austria, Australia, Egypt, Turkey, and Canada. She currently is authoring our weekly column on climate change.

In 1977, Anne became the first African American female in Atlanta to earn a private pilot’s license. Since then, she has developed aviation education programs for youth. In 2005, she organized African American female pilots’ visit to Chicago and Rue, France to honor Bessie Coleman and the men making it possible for her to become the world’s first licensed African American pilot in 1921. Her name is among those included on the Wall of Honor at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum.

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