Dear Friend of America’s Flagship,

Throughout her storied history, the SS United States has been an enduring symbol of power, pride, and perseverance. Her design was unparalleled. Her service career was unblemished. Seventy years after her christening, she continues to inspire action, resolve, and a spirit of resiliency.
As the nation and world continue to emerge from a devastating pandemic, the Conservancy has kept America’s Flagship safely and proudly afloat. Without your support, we would not have been able to weather this storm.
Despite the year’s challenges, 2021 was full of exciting activity featuring the SS United States, and there’s fresh hope as we look ahead to 2022.

CELEBRATING TWO BIG U ANNIVERSARIES
This year we marked two important milestones for the Big U – the 70th Anniversary of her auspicious launch and the 25th of her arrival in Philadelphia. More than 1,500 people attended the Conservancy’s Virtual Gala to celebrate the ship’s christening. Media outlets from around the world explored the iconic ship’s storied history, and YouTuber Jake Williams of Bright Sun Films, with one million followers, featured the ship in a video already viewed 400,000 times.
In 2021, more than two million people interacted with the Conservancy’s content online as we continued to grow our global community of supporters.
CHARTING A FORWARD COURSE TOGETHER

We are hopeful that the progress in responding to the global pandemic will permit us to gather in person this coming year. Events are being planned for Manhattan’s Steinway Hall, Virginia’s Mariners’ Museum in Newport News (an extravaganza during the weekend of April 9-10 being organized by the Conservancy’s Hampton Roads Chapter), and of course the Conservancy’s long-awaited, week-long Legacy Cruise in partnership with the Pollin Group setting sail from New York City on August 21.

When William Francis Gibbs, set out to design the world’s fastest and safest ocean liner, many thought his grand vision could not be achieved. They were wrong.

Today, we face new hurdles. The dramatic increase in the ship’s pier rent has intensified our financial challenges. However, the SS United States has always turned adversity into opportunity and achievement. With your continued support, she will do so again.
THE BIG U CONTINUES TO INSPIRE...
"For now, she sits, waiting for a hero to save her from the scrap heap. But there is so much life left in this old girl. You can feel it as you gaze at her from shore...”
- Independent Philly, July, 2021