In 1961 President Kennedy picked Ed Dwight to become America's first Black astronaut candidate, but NASA never selected him, so he spent decades sculpting bronze instead — and finally flew to space at 90

I’ve mentioned Ed Dwight in previous newsletters, but it’s worth revisiting.  Dwight nearly was the first black man in space - if he had been selected among the first group of astronauts in the 1960s.

But sadly, while Kennedy had wanted Dwight to be part of the story, when Kennedy was assassinated in 1963, that dream died along with him, and Dwight was excluded. And it would be another two decades before a black man would go into space.

https://spacedaily.com/m-in-1961-president-kennedy-picked-ed-dwight-to-become-americas-first-black-astronaut-candidate-but-nasa-never-selected-him-so-he-spent-decades-sculpting-bronze-instead-and-finally-flew-to/