Granddaughter of Jack Knight to speak on May 31st and June 1st
Submitted by Mary Lister & Robert Brown
James H. (Jack) Knight, a former Buchanan, Michigan, resident, and Buchanan High School student, flew for the U.S. airmail starting in 1919. Patricia Lammersfeld has collected cherished memorabilia about her famous grandfather, and will offer a slide presentation about his life and place in our country’s aviation history.
The first presentation will be held at the Buchanan American Legion, 403 E. Front Street, on Tuesday, May 31st at 7:00pm. In addition, Lammersfeld will offer the same presentation at the Buchanan District Library, 128 E. Front Street, on Wednesday, June 1st at 6:00pm. Also, the Buchanan District Library will house a Knight exhibit from May 17 through June 12, 2022. These events are free of charge and open to the public.
On February 22, 1921, Knight started on the flight for which he became famous, as part of a coast to coast airmail experiment to prove that airmail could include night flying. As one of seven pilots in this experiment, his flight was scheduled from North Platte, Nebraska, to Omaha, but circumstances spurred him to continue on to the next relay location in Chicago, thus bestowing him a place in historic flights in the U.S.
In 1978 the Knight Chapel at Oak Ridge Cemetery was built and named in Knight’s honor. The Centennial year of Knight’s flight was 2021, however, the Covid19 pandemic has delayed the celebration.
These events are sponsored by Friends of the Oak Ridge Cemetery, and co-sponsored by Buchanan District Library, and American Legion Ralph Rumbaugh Post 51 in Buchanan, Michigan. For more information, contact Robert Brown at RobtDBrown@aol.com or Mary Lister at mary.lister522@gmail.com.
About American Legion Ralph Rumbaugh Post 51: Buchanan Auxiliary is a volunteer program, gives back hours to its communities and to veterans, and raises dollars to support its own programs, as well as other worthwhile charities. The American Legion was chartered and incorporated by Congress in 1919 as a patriotic veterans organization devoted to mutual helpfulness.
403 E Front St
269-695-6633
legionpost51@yahoo.com
Meetings 1st Thursday each month at 7pm
Auxiliary American Legion – Buchanan Post 51 Facebook Page HERE.
About Buchanan District Library: Our mission is to provide quality material, superior programming and exceptional services delivered with care and integrity to meet the needs of our diverse community.
Buchanan District Library
Contact: Meg Paulette, Director
The Buchanan Chronicle 