Surely what matters more than who was first is whose activities did more to change the world as we know it. It isn't disputed that the Wrights flew at Kitty Hawk on 17/12/1903 (or at least I dont think it is) and then went on to demonstrate sustained, controlled flight to a large number of people. Pearse, Preston Watson, Whitehead etc may well have been first but what influence did they actually have on the world - absolutely none to my mind since it was long after their supposed flights that people started claiming the first flight for them and by then the work of the Wrights had been developed by others to create the foundations for the aviation industry we have today.
We should be celebrating the first significant flight of a powered aircraft. Or with my glider pilot's hat on we should be remembering with sorrow the day the Wrights gave up a promising career in gliding and invented the glider tug:-)
grow45