Astronaut Dr. Mae Jamison would become the first Black female to soar the Heavens.
There never would have been a Guion Buford or Mae Jamison had it not been for Neil Armstrong. He paved the way for his brethren and sisters of science who went into space as astronauts and just so happened to be persons of color.
Neil Armstrong became this nation’s first astronaut to land on the land moon 43 years ago.
A native son of Ohio, by way for Wapakoneta, in Muskegon County, he passed away over the weekend at the age of 82.
But during his time on this earth he humbly was just an American who wanted to fly and serve his country.
He was a humble man who did not like the limelight.
But it was in his wake that there would be 14 Black astronauts who would make America equally proud.
Guion Buford would become the first Black in space.
Ronald McNair would be immortalized as being killed on the Space Shuttle Challenger along with New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe.
Astronaut Dr. Mae Jamison would become the first Black female to soar the Heavens.
At the end of the day, this nation owes a debt of gratitude to Neil Armstrong and the crew of Apollo 11, to include Edwin “Buzz” Aldrich and Michael Collins who flew to the moon and back.
And for one brief moment in time on July 20, 1969, these men brought together a nation and world together for a feat yet to be matched and paved a way for Black intellectual excellence in its wake.
God Speed, Neil Armstrong.
