Former Black KCK pilot, at 90, can fulfill 60-year-old dream of going to space
A dream deferred will now become a reality for 90-year-old Edward Dwight, 60 years after he was passed over by NASA to become
Dwight’s life is one that has been filled with struggles, accomplishments and bitter disappointments. The Kansas City, Kansas native was selected by the Kennedy administration to become the first Black man in space. But after the assassination of Kennedy, his dreams of going to space were derailed.
It was recently announced that Dwight will get his long-awaited chance to go into space on the Blue Origin rocket.
Rumors of the flight were being talked about when The Star interviewed Dwight about the special screening for the Space Race documentary released by National Geographic in February. He could say much about the possibility of the space flight at that time.
“They don’t want word getting out until they announce it themselves,” Dwight told The Star over the phone from his home in Denver in January. “I am training for it right now and they have a promotional campaign that they want to take me around the country with but I can’t say too much.”
Though no date has been announced Dwight, a former Air Force pilot and sculptor, never stopped shooting for the stars.
