On Friday February 10, 2023, the National Museum of African American History and Culture and NASA invite middle and high school students to join us virtually for an educational experience where we examine and build on the legacy of achievement, connection, and knowledge of African Americans at NASA. Astronauts Victor Glover and Leland Melvin will share their experiences and ideas about the future of space travel. They will be joined by NASA Directors Clayton Turner and Vanessa Wyche as they describe the needed skills of the future workforce at NASA.

Learn More

• In 2021, Victor Glover finished a 6-month mission aboard the International Space Station where he completed multiple space walks and science experiments. He is now preparing for the Artemis I Missions, which will take NASA astronauts back to the Moon. He was selected to be an astronaut in 2013.
• Leland Melvin was selected to be an astronaut in 1998. He completed two space flights in 2008 and 2009, where he logged more than 565 hours in space. He has served NASA as an astronaut, ambassador and educator. He retired from NASA in 2014.
• In 2019, Clayton Turner became the first African American to serve as the Director of NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, VA. He oversees nearly 4,000 federal employees and contractors. He has held several roles at NASA Langley, including systems engineer, Chief Engineer, Engineering Director, Associate Center Director, and Deputy Center Director. He joined NASA in 1990.
• In 2021, Vanessa Wyche became the first African American to lead the Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston, TX. JSC is home to NASA’s astronaut corps, Mission Control Center, and International Space Station. She oversees more than 11,000 federal employees and contractors. She joined NASA in 1989.