Comments on: The Ballad of Captain Dwight

By: megan

megan — Thu, 10 Dec 2015 16:40:05 +0000

This was another sad one. Thank you for sharing this story. It was one that needed to be told.

By: Richard Paul

Richard Paul — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 16:07:34 +0000

There are so many legitimate heroes among the first African-Americans in the space program. To focus yet again on Ed Dwight shortchanges their sacrifice and their contributions. I urge you to tell their stories (you can read them here: http://ow.ly/Fqh5e) because they are no less fascinating. Ed tells a great story. He told it to me too, but I didn’t publish it because after reading everything there is to read in the public record about him and his case, I determined that most of it could not be substantiated. My principal concern with your story is that it perpetuates the contention that Pres. Kennedy wanted an African-American astronaut. No memo, letter, or interview with a principal illuminates the chain of official communication leading to government intervention in the NASA astronaut selection process. I asked Ed for the letter that he quotes in your story. He did not provide it. Ed also has a story about where Pres. Kennedy got the idea for a black astronaut (I’m not sure whether he told it to you). That story was conveyed to Ed by Whitney Young, but when I called Whitney Young’s biographer, she told me that story wasn’t true. Chuck Yeager wrote in his autobiography that Air Force Chief Curtis LeMay told him that the Attorney General, Robert Kennedy wanted “a colored in space” (Yeager’s words). That 3rd-hand story is as close as anyone can come to a suggestion that a Kennedy wanted an African-American astronaut. Also, Ed’s charge that Pres. Johnson didn’t want him in space is a new story for Ed. In his autobiography, he says that Johnson’s press secretary George Reedy worked to put him in the astronaut corps.

By: Ben

Ben — Sun, 25 Oct 2015 01:37:14 +0000

Judged from then list of sculptures hem created https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ed_Dwight , you can’t help to say he is a great human being. He also earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Arizona State University. Yeager’s statement of him not qualified academically may not hold water.

By: Listening Activities and Audio Project Proposal | Commonplace Discovery

Listening Activities and Audio Project Proposal | Commonplace Discovery — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 12:35:54 +0000

[…] varies so widely (from discussing the elimination of mosquitos from populated areas, to an interview with the would-have-been first black astronaut in space, to an inspirational account of the day Apollo 11 went into space, even to a discussion on […]

By: Francisco

Francisco — Sat, 10 Oct 2015 16:38:37 +0000

One of my favourites episode of my favourite podcast.

By: Tabatha

Tabatha — Wed, 30 Sep 2015 13:16:51 +0000

One of my favorites so far. I am surprised by the negative comments. I listen to you because I enjoy the way you tell a story, I love the historical accounts of things I would not otherwise have heard if not for The Memory Palace. As far as the conflict between the two versions, we all know that there is two sides to a story and then there is the truth. If people don’t agree, why are they here????

By: Kevin

Kevin — Sun, 20 Sep 2015 11:37:07 +0000

Just listened to this podcast. A fantastic, unheard story about race, America , the space program and libraries. Essential listening, brilliant story telling. A smash to end the series!

By: The 5 best storytelling podcasts

The 5 best storytelling podcasts — Fri, 18 Sep 2015 18:16:09 +0000

[…] The Ballad of Captain Dwight – interesting insight into an African American pilot who was tagged by JFK as the first Black astronaut, and how history ultimately stole that opportunity from him. […]

By: Rob

Rob — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 20:46:56 +0000

So now I’ve heard two conflicting stories of Yeager’s treatment of Dwight. I wasn’t there and I don’t have enough evidence either way to come out on either side. Do the rest of you know something I don’t?

By: {Mid September} | The Heart of Life

{Mid September} | The Heart of Life — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 03:59:06 +0000

[…] to: The Ballad of Captain Dwight on the Memory Palace. This episode wasn’t really the norm for the Memory Palace, but I still […]

By: Paul

Paul — Tue, 08 Sep 2015 08:11:13 +0000

The last three episodes are a beautiful set that stand side-by-side as a whole. Great writing. Loved the introduction of the voice of the man whose story was told. A voice. Such an American concept.

By: My Fave Educational Podcasts - Gamerwife

My Fave Educational Podcasts - Gamerwife — Mon, 07 Sep 2015 21:11:33 +0000

[…] of Note: The Ballad of Captain Dwight Secret Kitty The Moon In The […]

By: Maxilu

Maxilu — Sat, 05 Sep 2015 07:51:08 +0000

What I got out of this story was redemption. Dwight never made it to the moon, but he managed to spend his life making beautiful things. It’s about second chances, and not wallowing in defeat, but moving on and finding the good in the world.

By: admin

admin — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 16:49:59 +0000

In reply to Jay. Not sure what the plan is for the data yet...

By: Jay

Jay — Fri, 04 Sep 2015 12:49:30 +0000

I’ll take the survey on one condition. You must share some of the data for our enjoyment .

By: Jim

Jim — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 23:47:17 +0000

Tyler: even if the facts you cite are true, the way in which you present them does not say much about you as a human being. You probably think you are a no-nonsense truth-teller. But you are something else, something I will refrain from saying out of pity for your humanity.

By: Tyler

Tyler — Thu, 03 Sep 2015 11:18:26 +0000

Actually, Dwight did poorly academically and was washed out by none other than Chuck Yeager. Yeager wrote about it in his autobiography and excerpts are available in the link provided. Yeager refused to compromise his standards for a DC pushed affirmative action publicity stunt. LBJ’s quotes on this topic are eye opening, “we’ll have those N******s voting for us (Democrats) for the next hundred years.”
Of course Ebony is going to turn it into a sob story of oppression.

By: James Strickland

James Strickland — Mon, 31 Aug 2015 06:15:53 +0000

A fascinating, well told story. It is frustrating to hear of such systemic racism.

But isn’t it great what libraries can make possible?

By: Heather

Heather — Fri, 28 Aug 2015 18:57:38 +0000

Another great story that has me weeping at my desk. I will miss you until October….