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Spelman Student Earns Scholarship Presented By Her 'Inspiration,' Joan Higginbotham, The Third Black Woman In Space

Kathleen Bostick, a Spelman College student, was honored by one of her biggest inspirations.

Ngozi Nwanji

May 3, 2023

Victor Glover Set To Become The First Black Man NASA Sends To The Moon

There is a place in history for astronaut Victor Glover!

Samantha Dorisca

Apr 3, 2023

Meet Sarah Adewumi, A Science Communicator At NASA Who Went From Pageant Queen To An Advocate For Black Girls In STEM

Former pageant queen Sarah Adewumi reminds young girls that they can be multifaceted while pursuing STEM careers.

Samantha Dorisca

Mar 28, 2023

At Age 9, The Late Ronald McNair Was Turned Away From A Library That's Now Named After Him

At age nine, Ronald McNair was kicked out of the library for being Black. Today, that same edifice has been named in his honor.

Shanique Yates

Nov 29, 2022

The Late Nichelle Nichols Continues To Make History As Her Remains Will Board Celestis' First-Ever Deep Space Mission

Even in another galaxy, the late Nichelle Nichols’ legacy reigns supreme! Following the passing of the renowned “Star Trek” actress and STEM icon, it has been announced that her remains will be spread beyond just the United States, thanks to Celestis. The Texas-based company provides “memorial spaceflight services” for individuals looking to celebrate the life of their loved one outside of just the Earth realm. According to Space.com, the assignment for Nichols marks the company’s first-ever deep space mission.

Shanique Yates

Aug 25, 2022

18-Year-Old Jaden Hunter Gets Accepted Into 39 Colleges And Plans To Attend Berkeley To Study Mechanical Engineering

Jaden Hunter had a stellar finish, graduating with a 4.5 GPA from Crenshaw Arts Tech Charter High. Now, Hunter will be on his way to study mechanical engineering at Berkeley. He plans to work for NASA or SpaceX when he completes his higher education. “I felt good because my hard work paid off. All the long sleepless nights I took in, stuff like that, it finally paid off,” Hunter told ABC7.

Samantha Dorisca

Aug 18, 2022

Jessica Watkins Officially Makes History As The First Black Woman On An Extended Space Station Mission

The time has come, NASA astronaut Jessica Watkins is now the first Black woman to make the trek to the International Space Station for an extended mission. On Wednesday, her journey began when she, alongside fellow astronauts Kjell Lindgren, Robert Hines, and Samantha Cristoforetti hopped on the SpaceX Dragon to begin their mission to the ISS, NPR reports. The team traveled over 15 hours from the Kennedy Space Center located in Dallas, TX, and will remain on the trip over the course of six months. While she is not the first Black woman to go to space, the trip remains historic as it’s a huge leap into the future of space as it pertains to Black women. “We have reached this milestone, this point in time, and the reason we’re able to arrive at this time is because of the legacy of those who have come before to allow for this moment,” said Watkins when the news was announced and reported by AfroTech in November 2021. “Also, recognizing this is a step in the direction of a very exciting...

Shanique Yates

Apr 29, 2022

Black History: 26-Year-Old Douglas Williams Helps Launch 'The World’s Most Powerful Telescope'

What’s being called “the world’s most powerful telescope” was made possible with the help of a Jackson State University alum. WLBT reports Douglas Williams helped launch the James Webb Space Telescope named after former NASA administrator James E. Webb. The groundbreaking optical instrument caught the attention of the 26-year-old in high school. “It was all over YouTube, and it was mentioned in a few television documentaries. From that moment, I found myself eager to learn more about the advanced capabilities and engineering going into the first space deployable telescope ever to be sent into space,” said Williams, according to WLBT. Douglas Williams later attended Northop Grumman for orientation. Here, the Historically Black College and University (HBCU) alum was informed the company was working on building a telescope. The manager informed Williams he could view the telescope from the observation deck, but he had no idea it would be one of science’s most ambitious projects. “She...

Samantha Dorisca

Mar 8, 2022

As An Artist And Astronaut Heading To Space, Jesse Forte's On A Mission To Inspire Black Boys And Girls

Space is for everyone and this artist is here to prove it! Movies can be instrumental in planting seeds that will eventually lead to purpose. This was the case for emerging artist and author Jesse Forte (Jforte), who became fascinated by Buzz Lightyear’s character from “Toy Story.” With a nudge from a fifth-grade teacher, Forte believed he could reach “Infinity and Beyond!” Decades later, the multi-talented creative finally secured his big start in July 2021. After applying to various analog astronaut missions around the world, Jforte became a part of the Lunares Research team in Poland in 2021. Now, Jforte is preparing for his second analog training and hopes to be amongst the stars within the next 18 to 20 months. “Letting the young kids from around the world — especially little Black girls and boys that look like me — see that it’s possible for a brother with melanin dripping from his veins with dreads and gold chains to go to space. I want them to say ‘If he can do it, I can...

Samantha Dorisca

Feb 28, 2022

NASA And The Department of Education Partner To Host Pitch Competition For HBCU Students

NASA and the Department of Education are joining forces to increase the participation of Historically Black College and University students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). According to a press release, the partnership will improve the federal Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Scholar Recognition Program. Thanks to NASA’s helping hand, HBCU students participating in its pitch competition can join the HBCU Scholar Recognition Program starting in early 2022. The program honors the White House mission to highlight excellence and improve the standard of living for minority students within their communities. “Our relationship with NASA validates the Biden-Harris Administration’s and the initiative’s commitment to enhancing STEM in the HBCU space,” said Arthur McMahan, senior associate director for the Initiative. “This opportunity provides our outstanding HBCU Scholars with the tools and experiences needed to succeed in the 21st Century...

Samantha Dorisca

Jan 13, 2022

Purdue Partners With U.S. Navy’s Office Of Naval Research To Support Minorities In STEM

To support minority researchers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), Purdue University, the U.S. Navy’s Office of Naval Research (0NR), and a coalition of other schools have launched the Blue Integrated Partnerships. A Pew Research study supports data that minorities are underrepresented in STEM citing limited access to quality education, discriminatory hiring and promotion practices — and a lack of support to thrive in the field. Many Black and brown students may be less inclined to complete their studies due to not having equal opportunities like their white counterparts. “We call this a quiet crisis,” said L uciano Castillo , Purdue’s Kenninger Professor of Renewable Energy and Power Systems in Mechanical Engineering , the program’s principal investigator, according to a press release from Purdue University. “It’s not just a matter of trying to raise numbers. Minority students feel that they don’t have the tools to succeed in science and engineering...

Samantha Dorisca

Dec 22, 2021

Nichelle Nichols Honored With Prestigious NASA Award For Her Contributions To STEM

One cannot mention “Star Trek” without mentioning Nichelle Nichols! PEOPLE reports that during an early birthday celebration during the past weekend, Nichols attended the L.A. Comic-Con where she signed autographs and posed for photos during the event.

Shanique Yates

Dec 8, 2021

Ghanaian Artist Amoako Boafo Officially Launches Artwork In Space

Amoako Boafo has work that is out of this world…literally. CBS News reports that Ghanaian artist, Amoako Boafo, can now celebrate the official launch of his artwork in outer space. That’s right, the artists’ had three paintings that went into orbit on the most recent space mission launched by billionaire Jeff Bezos. After a successful launch into space for the Amazon founder a month ago, Blue Origin officially sent off suborbital spacecraft, New Shepard, on Thursday, Aug. 26. The spacecraft was not only equipped with Boafo’s artwork, but also included NASA lunar landing technology along with 18 additional research payloads.

Shanique Yates

Aug 31, 2021

Vanessa Wyche Will Be The First Black Woman To Lead A NASA Center

A  Black woman is making history at NASA once again! According to Texas Public Radio, Vanessa Wyche will become the first Black woman to serve as director of a National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) center. Wyche, a 30-year- NASA veteran, will lead efforts in human spaceflight missions, the nation’s astronaut corps, International Space Station mission operations, and the Orion Program at the Johnson Space Center. NASA’s Johnson Space Center, located in Houston, Texas, is ready to embark on a new era of space flight and exploration led by Wyche. “We’ll have the opportunity to have robotic missions as well as human missions going to the moon and working in tandem together,” said Wyche in an interview. “So, yeah, now is an extremely exciting time.” That excitement includes partnering with SpaceX and Boeing on missions to the ISS which will eventually lead to missions to the Moon, reports Houston Public Media. “SpaceX has been successful at having our astronauts fly on...

Shanique Yates

Jul 14, 2021

Virginia School Named After Confederate Solider Renamed In Honor Of NASA's Katherine Johnson

Out with the old, in with the…better! This Virginia middle school was once named after a Confederate soldier and now its name will be replaced with a Black shero. According to USA Today, Sidney Lanier Middle School was established over 60 years ago and was named after an American poet who also happened to be a private in the Confederate army. Now, it will be renamed to honor NASA mathematician, Katherine Johnson. Johnson is known for her contributions to helping NASA put the first man on the moon and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the United States’ highest civilian honor, by President Barack Obama at age 97 in 2015. In September 2020, the Fairfax city school board made the decision after a majority of residents called to have the name changed. Over 300 new names for the school were submitted and the approval to rename the school was made on Nov. 2, 2020. Other names in the running included Fairfax Woods, Legacy Independence and City, and the late great Maya Angelou....

Shanique Yates

Jun 11, 2021