The Space Race | Official Trailer | National Geographic

Growing up, I love the space program, but nobody doing that stuff looked like me. Very few people today even have a clue about black people's contribution to human space. Flag that was the only black aerospace, the only black NASA, first black astronaut. Because they weren't written in history books.

In the early days of the Civil Rights Movement, NASA wanted to show that they were engaged in equality for all. I was told by friends and enemies alike, "You're 20 years too soon, Buddy. If you qualify and would like to be an astronaut, now is the time. This is your NASA." I don't think America or anybody knew that was a body. In a way, it was imaginary. It was a lie.

Around the same time, there was a Cuban who was the first person of color to fly. The Soviets made that history, not the United States. To see a black man in space would have changed things. Three of us all recognize that one of us would be the first black astronaut. I would have made it to the Moon. They were not going to let that happen.

Representation becomes critically important to help us keep moving down that path. Back in the day, they were saying that blacks are too ignorant to be flying in space. I'm smitten. You're up there doing all these wonderful things. Black history is American history. We forget it at our peril.