Pan Am Historical Foundation

PAN AM HISTORICAL FOUNDATION HISTORY Today, the Pan Am Historical Foundation continues its mission to keep Pan Am's history both relevant and accessible to current and future generations. For over 32 years preserving and promoting the unique heritage of Pan American World Airways, Inc. and its incomparable contributions to the technology, convenience, safety and excitement of commercial aviation The Pan Am Historical Foundation, a 501(c)(3) educational foundation, was established in 1992 to preserve and promote the legacy of Pan American World Airways. The mission was exciting. Initiated by a concerned group of former Pan Am employees, the Foundation addressed the threat that a comprehensive account of the company's historic contributions to aviation could be lost through the dissolution of corporate records and artifacts in the aftermath of Pan Am's ceasing operations in 1991. The Foundation's newly formed board of directors successfully raised the needed funds and acquired such assets through the bankruptcy proceedings, subsequently placing them with appropriate organizations for professional stewardship. These repositories of the Pan Am legacy now include searchable databases at University of Miami Special Collections; HistoryMiami; The SFO Museum; and the Smithsonian Institution. Recently digitized unique Pan Am items from Duke University Hartman Center, HistoryMiami and University of Miami Special Collections are shared on the Digital Public Library of America's Aviation Portal: [](https://aviation.dp.la/ "Digital Public Library of America Aviation Portal")[https://aviation.dp.la/](https://aviation.dp.la/) From less than a dozen members at its beginnings, the Foundation's general membership had grown to include hundreds of individuals, all dedicated to the goal of saving and sharing the Pan Am story for current and future generations. In recent years the Foundation has furthered its mission by seeking partnership opportunities with other noteworthy Pan Am organizations, such as Clipper Pioneers, Pan Am Museum, and World Wings International. We support the work of authors and content producers who seek authoritative historical information and resources and sponsor student internships at higher education venues. Over the years, we also sponsored the annual Abrams-Banning Research Grant through University of Miami Special Collections. And currently, the PAHF continues to enlarge our collection of documents, images, films and other historically relevant resources. Our ongoing Foundation projects include historic film preservation, an informative history website, PanAm.org, and continuing development of Pan Am online exhibits. We are always pursuing long-term strategies to energize public knowledge and appreciation for the many contributions made to America and the world, by Pan American World Airways.