The Pan American Collection consists of materials collected by the Pan Am Historical Foundation for a future aviation museum. This finding aid describes the photographs and paper materials housed in the HistoryMiami Museum archives. Artifacts and their inventories are kept by the objects department of the museum.
The archival materials include photographs, flight maps and records, newspaper clippings, certificates, technical reports, and corporate ephemera—and corporate and personal material collected by three Pan American pilots. The collection also contains newspaper and magazine clippings featuring Pan American; commemorative certificates; advertisements and promotional materials; scrapbooks documenting the first direct service between John F. Kennedy Airport and Berlin in 1964; menus for state dignitaries, corporate, and press flights; photographs of Juan Trippe and other officers, aircraft, and historic flights; and technical reports.
Ekstrom’s papers are a major component of the collection; they show a pilot’s lifestyle as well as the role of a pilot within the airline; they include newspaper clippings on the development of flying—and photographs, postcards, and ephemera from Latin America.
Keeler’s papers are a smaller parallel component; they include photographs of an early aircraft assembly and attempted launch over water, as well as photos of Latin American Native Americans.
Papers from pilot Dave Abrams include insurance plans, retirement plans, and union agreements.
Pan American Historical Foundation