Brich, George
Description
Photograph was edited for publication purposesEdward Joseph Dwight Jr. was born in Kansas City on September 9, 1933, and joined the United States Air Force in 1953 at the age of 20. In 1961, the Kennedy administration selected Captain Dwight Jr. as the first African American astronaut trainee at the Experimental Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base near Lancaster. He was one of fifteen pilots selected for the aerospace school, which provided classroom instruction and flight training in space simulators and high performance jets. He served in the Air Force from 1953 until 1966.Photograph caption dated April 1, 1963 reads, "Left to right, Edward J. III, 5; Mrs. Dwight, Capt. Dwight, Tina Sheree, 7." Photograph accompanies article entitled, 'Negro astronaut ready to go.' Article partially reads, 'America's first Negro astronaut, 'very definitely' pleased about his selection, said today he wants first of all 'to go the same route the others have gone'--an orbital mission about the earth.'"
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