EPISODE · Jun 29, 2022 · 21 MIN
The Almost Astronaut
from Radio Diaries · host Radio Diaries & Radiotopia
In the 1960s, the U.S. was in a tense space race with the Soviet Union - and was losing. The Soviets had sent the first satellite and the first man into space. So, President Kennedy pledged to do something no country had done: send a man to the moon. This mission excited many white Americans, but many Black Americans thought the space program wasted money that could’ve helped Black communities. So, the U.S. embarked on a plan that could beat the Soviets and appease Black Americans: tapping Air Force Captain Ed Dwight as the first Black astronaut candidate. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices
What this episode covers
In the 1960s, the U.S. was in a tense space race with the Soviet Union - and was losing. The Soviets had sent the first satellite and the first man into space. So, President Kennedy pledged to do something no country had done: send a man to the moon. This mission excited many white Americans, but many Black Americans thought the space program wasted money that could’ve helped Black communities. So, the U.S. embarked on a plan that could beat the Soviets and appease Black Americans: tapping Air Force Captain Ed Dwight as the first Black astronaut candidate.
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The Almost Astronaut
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