American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum To Open National Geographic Exhibition, "The President's Photographer," Sept. 29

FORT WORTH, Texas, Sept. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For nearly 50 years, presidential photographers have served as visual historians, providing a rare glimpse inside the White House and the historic moments of the presidents they served. On Saturday, Sept. 29, the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum will open the National Geographic traveling exhibition, "The President's Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office," which features 50 works by veteran presidential photographers David Hume (Gerald Ford), David Valdez (George H.W. Bush), Bob McNeely (Bill Clinton), Eric Draper (George W. Bush), Pete Souza (Barack Obama) and others. The exhibition will run through Dec. 1.

The exhibition is based on the National Geographic book and television special. Emmy Award winner John Bredar executive-produced the television special and wrote the book. Bredar will sign copies of his book beginning at 1 p.m. during the exhibition's opening, this Saturday, at the C.R. Smith Museum. The book will be available for purchase at the museum.

"We are honored to have 'The President's Photographer' at the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum," said Andy Backover, American's Vice President – Communications. "We believe the arts uplift and enrich the lives of the communities and people we serve, which is why American is committed to supporting exhibitions such as this one."

"The President's Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office" will transport visitors through nearly 50 years of presidential history using both iconic and rarely seen White House photos, including the earliest image of a sitting president (James K. Polk in 1846) and a battlefield photograph of Abraham Lincoln. Since President John F. Kennedy first appointed photographer Cecil Stoughton in 1960, nine professionals have served as the official White House photographer. Today, as the 44th president's chief photographer, Pete Souza documents Barack Obama's presidency from behind the scenes while providing the public with rare and intimate access.

"The job of a presidential photographer is to capture much more than an event, but the big arcs of the presidency – legislative challenges, managing wars and crises, and other major events – colored by coverage that evokes the character of the man in the crucible," said Bredar.

"The President's Photographer: Fifty Years Inside the Oval Office" begins Sept. 29 and runs through Dec. 1. Located at 4601 Texas Highway 360 at FAA Road in Fort Worth, Texas, the C.R. Smith Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays from 1 to 5 p.m. The exhibition is free with regular museum admission: $5 for adults, and $3 for military, seniors and children ages 2 to 18. Museum members have free access to the museum and exhibition. For more information, please visit www.crsmithmuseum.org.

About American Airlines

American Airlines, American Eagle and the AmericanConnection^® carrier serve 260 airports in more than 50 countries and territories with, on average, more than 3,500 daily flights. The combined network fleet numbers more than 900 aircraft. American's award-winning website, AA.com^®, provides users with easy access to check and book fares, plus personalized news, information and travel offers. American Airlines is a founding member of the oneworld^® alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest names in the airline business, enabling them to offer their customers more services and benefits than any airline can provide on its own. Together, its members and members-elect serve more than 900 destinations with more than 9,000 daily flights to 150 countries and territories. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AmericanAirlines, American Eagle, AmericanConnection, AA.com, and AAdvantage are trademarks of American Airlines, Inc. AMR Corporation common stock trades under the symbol "AAMRQ" on the OTCQB marketplace, operated by OTC Markets Group.

About the American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum

The American Airlines C.R. Smith Museum takes visitors on a flight through American Airlines history, with interactive exhibits that entice participation by all age groups. The museum features hundreds of historical artifacts, photographs, full-scale aircraft engines and a rare Douglas DC-3 airliner. In addition, the museum's state-of-the-art digital theater features The Spirit of American, a film featuring the history of commercial aviation as well as breathtaking aerial photography.

About National Geographic Traveling Exhibitions

The National Geographic Society is one of the world's largest nonprofit scientific and educational organizations and one of the world's leading organizers of large-scale, traveling exhibitions. Since it launched "Tutankhamen and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs" in 2004, National Geographic has organized two more Egyptian-themed exhibitions, "Tutankhamen: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs" and "Cleopatra: The Search for the Last Queen of Egypt." Other exhibitions National Geographic has organized include the four-city U.S. tour of "Afghanistan: Hidden Treasures from the National Museum, Kabul." National Geographic also offers a broad selection of stunning photography exhibitions to museums and venues around the world. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.com.

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SOURCE American Airlines