I 
119TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION H. R. 1626 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Edward J. Dwight, Jr., the first 
African-American astronaut candidate in the United States. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
FEBRUARY 26, 2025 
Mr. NEGUSE introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
Committee on Financial Services 
A BILL 
To award a Congressional Gold Medal to Edward J. Dwight, 
Jr., the first African-American astronaut candidate in 
the United States. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Edward J. Dwight, 
Jr., Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2025’’. 
SEC. 2. FINDINGS. 
Congress finds the following: 
(1) Edward Joseph Dwight, Jr., was born on 
September 9, 1933, to Georgia Baker Dwight and 
Edward Dwight, Sr., in Kansas City, Kansas. Ed 
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Senior had been a second baseman and center fielder 
for the Kansas City Monarchs and played on other 
all-Black teams from 1924 to 1937. Georgia was a 
devoted mother who enrolled her son in a Head 
Start type program at the age of 2 and made sure 
to expose her children to as much culture as she 
could. 
(2) Edward Joseph Dwight, Jr., grew up with 
a passion for art and airplanes. 
(3) Edward became the first African-American 
male to graduate from Bishop Ward Catholic High 
School in 1951. He then earned an associate degree 
in engineering in 1953 from Kansas City Junior 
College. That same year he left to join the Air Force 
and began flight training. 
(4) After completing flight training, he served 
as a military pilot and obtained a degree in aero-
nautical engineering from Arizona State University. 
During his career as an officer in the Air Force, Ed-
ward served at bases in Texas, Missouri, and Ari-
zona, developing technical manuals and training fel-
low pilots on various instruments, as he accumulated 
flight hours. 
(5) Edward recalled, ‘‘I was the only Black offi-
cer pilot just about every base I was stationed’’ and 
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that even at 5′4″, he ‘‘got award after award’’. 
While in the Air Force, Edward earned his Bachelor 
of Science in aeronautical engineering from Arizona 
State University in 1957. 
(6) Edward flew some of the most advanced 
aircraft of the era and ultimately accumulated over 
9,000 hours of flight time, 2,000 in high-perform-
ance jets. His engineering background and extensive 
training opened the door for him to enter the test 
pilot school where the most successful trainees be-
come astronauts. 
(7) Edward was chosen by President John F. 
Kennedy to enter training as an experimental test 
pilot. The Kennedy administration knew that a 
Black astronaut would be an inspiring display of op-
portunity for African Americans across the country. 
(8) On November 4, 1961, Edward received a 
letter inviting him to join the astronaut training pro-
gram. He followed the advice of his mother and ac-
cepted the invitation to take the first steps toward 
improving diversity and talent in the United States 
space program by becoming the first African-Amer-
ican astronaut candidate in the United States. 
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(9) Edward went to the Aerospace Research 
Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in Cali-
fornia to begin training. 
(10) This was a time of uncertainty where the 
color of a person’s skin mattered more than his or 
her skill. 
(11) The astronaut candidacy of Edward be-
came cover news on Black magazines such as Jet, 
Ebony, and Sepia. 
(12) At Edwards Air Force Base, however, Ed-
ward experienced prejudice and scorn, as he re-
counted in his autobiography ‘‘Soaring on the Wings 
of a Dream: The Untold Story of America’s First 
Black Astronaut Candidate’’. 
(13) Edward completed the experimental test 
pilot course and entered aerospace research pilot 
training in preparation for astronaut duties. He suc-
cessfully completed the course and continued to per-
form duties as a fully qualified aerospace research 
pilot. 
(14) On October 18, 1963, the National Aero-
nautics and Space Administration (referred to in 
this section as ‘‘NASA’’) announced 14 astronauts 
for Group 3, but Edward did not make the list. 
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(15) While in training, Edward faced obstacles 
due to his race, which derailed his chance to be the 
first African American in space. His fight for equal-
ity was one of many trailblazing battles happening 
during the Civil Rights Era. 
(16) The assassination of President Kennedy, 
the main sponsor in the White House of Edward 
and the space journey, led to his voluntary separa-
tion from the Air Force. 
(17) In 1966, Edward resigned from the Air 
Force as a captain and moved to Denver, Colorado. 
(18) After the Kennedy assassination, pressure 
on NASA to fly a Black astronaut waned, and the 
first African American would not fly in space until 
Guion Bluford flew with the crew of NASA’s eighth 
space flight on the Space Shuttle orbiter Challenger 
in 1983. 
(19) After successful careers in the Air Force, 
and as an IBM systems engineer, restauranteur, 
aviation consultant, real estate, and construction en-
trepreneur, Edward dedicated the last 43 years sole-
ly to his artistic endeavors. 
(20) In 1974, George Brown, the first African 
American lieutenant governor of Colorado and a 
member of the Tuskegee Airmen in World War II, 
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chose Edward to create a bronze bust of him to dis-
play in the Colorado State Capitol. 
(21) Being a neophyte to bronze sculpting, and 
at the age of 42, Edward enrolled at the University 
of Denver in the Masters of Fine Arts program. 
While at the University of Denver, he became pro-
ficient in metal casting and managed the foundry at 
the school while also teaching other students. He re-
ceived his Master of Fine Arts in 1977. 
(22) In 1975, while at the University of Den-
ver, Edward received a commission from the Colo-
rado Centennial Commission to create a series of 
bronzes depicting the contribution of Blacks to the 
American Frontier West. The series exhibited for 
several years throughout the United States, gaining 
widespread acceptance and critical acclaim. 
(23) In 1979, the National Park Service en-
couraged Edward to create a bronze series por-
traying the history and historical roots of jazz. The 
series was created and entitled ‘‘Jazz: An American 
Art Form’’, which consisted of over 70 bronzes de-
picting the evolution of jazz from its African origins 
to the fusion of contemporary music. 
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(24) Since his art career began in 1976, Ed-
ward has become one of most prolific and insightful 
sculptors in the United States. 
(25) Edward is the recipient of numerable liv-
ing legends awards from around the country for his 
achievements in space activities and contributions in 
art and Black history. 
(26) On August 5, 2020, in recognition of his 
accomplishments as a scientist, test pilot, and sculp-
tor, the Space Force inducted him as an honorary 
member. A permanent display is installed at the 
Pentagon in honor of these achievements. 
(27) In a ceremony at the Pentagon, General 
Jay Raymond, Chief of Space Operations of the 
Space Force, presented Edward with the Com-
mander’s Public Service Award and inducted him as 
an honorary member of the Space Force, for his 
contributions to the United States, space, and his-
tory during times of overt racism in the field of 
science. Astronaut Victor Glover honored Edward by 
carrying this award with him to the International 
Space Station during his Crew–1 mission. Despite 
all that he had to overcome, Edward was an example 
of excellence, embarking on a nationwide speaking 
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