Comcast in partnership with the Smithsonian Channel hosted an advanced screening of “Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier” at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Hermann Park.
The event was attended by close to 500 community leaders, partners, parents and students. The evening kicked off with a reception in the Grand Hall, followed by the screening and panel discussion moderated by Mia Gradney of KHOU Channel 11 News. Mia was joined by producer and director Laurens Grant, astronaut candidate Captain Edward Dwight, and curator for the department of space history at the National Air and Space Museum Dr. Cathleen Lewis.
“It’s a fascinating film that’s both informative and inspiring,” said KHOU 11 Anchor Mia Gradney.
At Comcast NBCUniversal, we strive to make every employee and every customer feel valued and respected for who they are. For our employees, we believe a diverse and inclusive company is a more innovative and successful one. As a result, we infuse diversity and inclusion into all aspects of our culture and our business. For our customers, we strive to meet their diverse needs and interests all year long. However, special moments, like Black History Month, provides us with a special opportunity to go above and beyond to celebrate the Black community’s remarkable contributions to American culture, film, science, sports, and history.
ABOUT THE DOCUMENTARY
America’s experiences during the Civil Rights Movement and the Space Race are well documented. However, few know about the moment these two worlds collided, when the White House and NASA scrambled to put the first black astronaut into orbit. This is the untold story of the decades-long battle between the U.S. and the Soviet Union to be the first superpower to bring diversity to the skies, told by the black astronauts and their families, who were part of this little known chapter of the Cold War.
“Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier” will premiere at 8 p.m. on Monday Feb. 24, on the Smithsonian Channel.
