[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 124 (Tuesday, July 30, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E786-E787]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




            CELEBRATING THE ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF MR. ED DWIGHT

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. SHARICE DAVIDS

                               of kansas

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, July 30, 2024

  Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to celebrate the 
accomplishments of Mr. Ed Dwight.
  In 1961, Mr. Dwight was a U.S. Air Force pilot when President John F. 
Kennedy selected him as a candidate for NASA's early astronaut corps. 
In the face of great pressure and prejudice, Mr. Dwight became the 
first Black astronaut candidate and advanced to the second phase of the 
training course. Despite his stellar accomplishments, qualifications, 
and graduation in the top half of a test pilot school, Mr. Dwight was 
not selected to be a part of the final astronaut group.
  But, on May 20, 2024, at 90 years old, Mr. Dwight finally achieved 
spaceflight.
  This story is perhaps a perfect representation of Mr. Dwight's drive 
and tenacity. He was born and raised in racially segregated Kansas 
City, Kansas. Mr. Dwight was the first Black male to graduate from 
Bishop Ward High School in Kansas City, a feat that did not come 
without experiencing hate and injustice. He earned his Associate of 
Arts in engineering

[[Page E787]]

from Kansas City Community College and graduated cum laude from Arizona 
State University with a Bachelor of Science in aeronautical engineering 
before serving as a captain in the Air Force.
  Even in the wake of disappointment following his rejection from the 
final 1963 astronaut group, Mr. Dwight did not retreat. Instead, he 
worked for IBM, started a construction company, opened his own barbecue 
restaurant, and finally, as if none of this was enough, earned a Master 
of Fine Art in Sculpture from the University of Denver. He's since 
become a highly respected artist. His sculptures focus on Black history 
and include memorials and monuments across the country.
  The Kansas state motto is ``ad astra per aspera,'' which means 
``through hardships to the stars.'' Mr. Dwight embodies everything it 
means to persevere and, literally, reach for the stars. He is a true 
example of the American dream, and I'm honored to have such an 
extraordinary individual call Kansas City home.

                          ____________________