Ed Dwight Was The First Black Astronaut Candidate For NASA. Here's Why He Never Flew

All week, On Second Thought has shared stories about people whose
unsung contributions to the Apollo 11 mission 50 years ago. One of
those pioneers is 85-year-old Ed Dwight . The Kennedy
administration was focused on winning the space race, while
integrating the South. Former President John F. Kennedy chose
Dwight — handsome, charismatic and skilled Air Force officer to be
the first African American astronaut.