NC Licence Plate I’ve been a North Carolina resident for over a year now, but I recently considered the phrase printed on both my drivers license and license plate: First in Flight.

Is that an accurate view of history? True, the Wright Brothers did complete their first successful heavier-than-air, powered flight at Kill Devil Hills, NC in 1903, but almost all of the Wright brothers’ research and testing took place at their home in Dayton, Ohio. It was only the favorable topography and wind that brought them to North Carolina for their attempt at powered flight.

Imagine that in 1950, well ahead of the Soviet Union and the United States, Canada is prepared to launch the first human into space. To take advantage of the earth’s rotational velocity, Canada looks for a launch site closer to the equator. The United States agrees to let Canada lease land in Florida, in exchange for the fact that the United States wouldn’t have to teach anything about Canada in high school history classes. After Canada’s successful human spaceflight, newspapers across the nation proclaim: United States, First in Space!

North Carolina needs to give credit where it is due: Ohio. In protest, I am going to replace my “First in Flight” plate with a “North Carolina Tobacco Heritage” specialized plate.