First operational stealth pilot to headline May events at American Mural Project

U.S. Air Force Colonel Alton Whitley will be joining American Mural Project for two events Memorial Day Weekend. Image courtesy of Col. Alton Whitley.

American Mural Project (AMP) announced its May 2026 event lineup Monday, featuring a historic appearance by the nation’s first operational stealth pilot, a live storytelling event, and a month-long free admission program for retail and service workers.

Highlighting the month is a Memorial Day weekend special on May 23 featuring Colonel Alton Whitley, a decorated U.S. Air Force veteran who piloted the F-117 Nighthawk. Whitley, who flew missions in Vietnam and during Operation Desert Storm, is depicted in the massive five-story mural housed at the facility.

The day’s programming includes a “Family Flight Lab” with a paper airplane contest and flight simulators, followed by an evening talk with Whitley and AMP founder Ellen Griesedieck.

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On May 1, the center will host “So What Do You Do? Work Stories Live,” a storytelling evening curated by Moth GrandSlam champion Terry Wolfisch Cole. The event features live tales centered on the roles of labor and identity in American life.

Families can visit on May 9 for “Family Day,” featuring Mother’s Day-themed art activities and story time. The month concludes May 30 with a persona poetry workshop led by Connecticut poet Elizabeth Thomas, using the mural’s subjects as creative inspiration.

As part of the ongoing “WORKS FOR ME!” initiative, AMP is offering free admission throughout May to workers in the retail, food service, hospitality, and personal aesthetics industries.

The American Mural Project is home to the world’s largest indoor collaborative work of art, a 120-foot-long tribute to American workers. The facility is located at 90 Whiting St. and is open Friday through Sunday. For ticket information and a full schedule of events, visit americanmuralproject.org.

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First operational stealth pilot to headline May events at American Mural Project