NASA'S LAST HOPE
By Sol
On May 25, 1961, President John F. Kennedy made a bold claim to Congress declaring that the US would be the first to land a man on the Moon, hence the Space Race between the Soviets and Americans. At this time, African Americans faced discrimination and were fighting for their freedom, as well as for education, in an era of Jim Crow Laws. A few minorities who had access to a good education became interested in esteemed jobs like working for NASA. These African Americans had hopes of high achievement through working in the space program and becoming the first African-Americans engineers at NASA through the co-op program (Benderley), which provided academic credit for high-skilled job experience. The first African-American engineers in the South went through this program, which led to an increased number of black professionals at NASA. Many of these engineers and mathematicians were inspirational, yet forgotten, pioneers of an integrated space program, which served as a launching pad for a more equal and just America.
At first, NASA thought integration would not be successful, but the idea that the Space Age would help develop better race relations and technological advancements became a subject of interest for NASA. The increased attention placed on NASA during these times and the need to be progressive in integrating the workplace eventually made the organization open more opportunities to African Americans. In 1962, NASA made a grant to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences to investigate “the relationships of space efforts to US society” (Paul, 2014). They believed that allowing African Americans to work at NASA would be a social model for the positive effects of integration.
Overall, NASA's policy on race during the Space Race helped achieve more knowledge and information from different minds and bring diversity of thought into space exploration. After becoming acquainted with African-American culture and heritage this past trip, this story leads me to believe that the Space Race gave African Americans hope of achievement and a launchpad to an equal, peaceful, and integrated America.
At first, NASA thought integration would not be successful, but the idea that the Space Age would help develop better race relations and technological advancements became a subject of interest for NASA. The increased attention placed on NASA during these times and the need to be progressive in integrating the workplace eventually made the organization open more opportunities to African Americans. In 1962, NASA made a grant to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences to investigate “the relationships of space efforts to US society” (Paul, 2014). They believed that allowing African Americans to work at NASA would be a social model for the positive effects of integration.
Overall, NASA's policy on race during the Space Race helped achieve more knowledge and information from different minds and bring diversity of thought into space exploration. After becoming acquainted with African-American culture and heritage this past trip, this story leads me to believe that the Space Race gave African Americans hope of achievement and a launchpad to an equal, peaceful, and integrated America.