Pan Am Historical Foundation

About

The Pan Am History Hub is presented by the Pan Am Historical Foundation (PAHF), a 501(c)(3) educational foundation established in 1992 to preserve and promote the legacy of Pan American World Airways.

What you’ll find on this Hub

With this website, The Pan Am History Hub, we’ve brought various pathways together to help you find links to the Foundation’s exhibits, films and stories.

Visit Clipper Hall, the Foundation’s interactive exhibit space, where you can explore in-depth presentations. Or go to the Exhibit Vault for past exhibits.

Watch Pan Am films on the PAHF YouTube channel. For more in-depth information, click on Films: Close Up and dive into a special set of curated media.

Visit PanAm.org, the Foundation’s history website. Sample Pan Am’s exciting past, by reading Enduring Legacy stories.

Our history and mission

The Foundation was initiated by a concerned group of former Pan Am employees. They saw that a comprehensive account of the company’s historic contributions to aviation could be lost as corporate records and artifacts were dispersed after Pan Am ceased operations in 1991.

The Foundation’s newly formed board of directors raised the needed funds, acquired those assets through the bankruptcy proceedings and placed them with appropriate organizations for professional stewardship. From fewer than a dozen members at its beginning, the Foundation grew to include hundreds of individuals, all dedicated to saving and sharing the Pan Am story for current and future generations.

PAHF partners with other noteworthy Pan Am organizations, such as Clipper Pioneers, the Pan Am Museum and World Wings International. It supports authors and content producers who seek authoritative historical information, sponsors student internships, and has sponsored the annual Abrams-Banning Research Grant through University of Miami Special Collections. Its ongoing projects include historic film preservation, the history website PanAm.org and continuing development of Pan Am online exhibits.

Today, the Foundation continues its mission to keep Pan Am’s history both relevant and accessible to current and future generations.

Notable Pan Am Archives & Resources

Pan Am’s historical legacy is preserved in these repositories:

• Smithsonian Institution
• University of Miami Libraries Special Collections
• John W. Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History, Duke University
• Museum of Miami (formerly HistoryMiami)
• SFO Museum (San Francisco Airport Commission Aviation Library & Museum)
• Digital Public Library of America: Cleared for Takeoff aviation portal
• The Pan Am Museum

Leadership

The Foundation’s Officers and Directors are led by Chairman Edward S. Trippe and President Adam M. Aron.

Support and join

PAHF memberships help the Foundation continue to research, celebrate and advance the incomparable history of Pan American World Airways. Members receive the “Clipper” newsletter, the sought-after annual Pan Am wall calendar, important announcements and ongoing updates on PAHF projects. Mementos, films and photos from your own Pan Am collection can also find a good home with the Foundation. Join or support PAHF on PanAm.org.

Contact

• Media, research, collection donations and general questions: panamweb@gmail.com
• Membership questions: pahfmemberships@panam.org