ED DWIGHT

BLACK AMERICAN NOMINATED BY JFK

TO JOIN AMERICAN ASTRONAUTS

Air Force Pilot and America's First Black Astronaut Candidate   Facing severe discrimination from other astronauts, Dwight persevered until President Kennedy's death, when government officials created a threatening atmosphere. He resigned in 1966,

Born on September 9, 1933, Edward Joseph “Ed” Dwight Jr. is an amazing former test pilot who is now an author and Sculptor. Ed Dwight grew up in a segregated part of Kansas City on a farm where he was raised by his mother and a father that played for the Kansis City Monarchs, a baseball team in the Negro League. As he grew, Dwight enjoyed art and reading and loved to work manually.

Dwight would soon leave Kansas City to become part of the U.S. Air Force. He then served as a military pilot for the force and received his degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Arizona State University after completing his pilot training.

Eight years after becoming a pilot, President John F. Kennedy chose Dwight to train as an Experimental Test Pilot for the purpose of becoming the first African American Astronaut, a decision that was suggested by the National Urban League’s Whitney M. Young. After being chosen, Dwight reached an astonishing amount of fame that would lead to being featured in worldwide magazines as well as the cover of Ebony, Jet and Spedia. Having successfully completed his training, Dwight moved on to perform tasks as a qualified Aerospace Research Pilot.

Following the passing of J.F.K., Dwight decided to resign in 1966,after putting up with discrimination from his fellow astronauts as well as a threatening atmosphere from government officials. Dwight would unfortunately never go to space.

Despite leaving the Air Force, Dwight’s gifted talents would lead him to engineering, real estate, and working for the International Business Machines Corporation, a multinational technology company in America. He would learn to operate the University of Denver’s metal casting foundry after studying art at the University. Dwight soon graduated with a Masters of Fine Arts and gained recognition as a sculptor.

At Ninety years old, Ed Dwight has and continues to achieve so much success with his gifted talent and wise knowledge. Dwight has sculpted many fine works of art, has one of the largest privately owned production and marketing facilities called Ed Dwight Studios, and is acknowledged as the innovator of the negative space technique.

Edward Joseph Dwight Jr contributed greatly to the world we have today.