Katharine Wright has long been known as “the sister of the Wright brothers” – but she was so much more.
In celebration of Women’s History Month, we recently sat down with our friend Mackensie Wittmer, Executive Director of the National Aviation Heritage Area in Dayton, Ohio, for an interview with Harry Haskell, step-grandson of Katharine Wright (Haskell). Harry Haskell is the author of four books, including “Maiden Flight,” and is the host of the three-part podcast, “In Her Own Wright.”
We discussed Harry’s connection to Katharine, how Katharine grappled with her sense of identity and establishing her place in an increasingly modern world, the inspiration behind the podcast, and what we can continue to learn from Katharine’s life and legacy.
Notable Moments
2:39: Harry Haskell describes his connection to Katharine Wright and his experience reading her unguarded, unfiltered love letters to his grandfather, Henry (Harry) J. Haskell.
7:58: “Trading on her name”: Katharine Wright’s decision to accept the married name of “Haskell” rather than keep her family name of “Wright.”
15:29: Bringing more people into the conversation: Harry Haskell explains why he chose to create the podcast “In Her Own Wright.”
23:54: Katharine Wright had “an extraordinary ability to get her thoughts and feelings down on paper.” Harry Haskell shares what he learned about Katharine Wright as he conducted his own research and collaborated with scholars for the podcast.
33:54: What would Katharine, Orville, and Wilbur Wright have thought about the successful first flight of NASA’s “Ingenuity” helicopter on Mars?
41:13: A personality in tension: What Katharine Wright’s life and legacy continue to teach us today.
To listen to or to read transcripts of the three episodes of “In Her Own Wright,” click here.