KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Shawnee and Mission. If you have a story idea to share, send Alyssa an email.
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July 25 is now "Edward Dwight Jr. Day" in Wyandotte County.
Dwight is America's first Black astronaut candidate and after waiting 60 years, he reached space this year in a Blue Origin Rocket.
At 90 years old, he made history as the oldest person to reach space.
During his 24-hour visit to his hometown of Kansas City, Kansas, KSHB 41's Alyssa Jackson had an exclusive sit-down with Dwight at his alma mater — Bishop Ward High School.
"Mom worked the Vatican — that’s how I got into Bishop Ward," he said. "Mom wrote the Pope and they were ordered to de-segregate."
Dwight and his sister were the first Black students to integrate the catholic high school more than 70 years ago.
"They forced me to go to special classes, and my classes included not looking a white girl in the eye — a range of things," he said. "That was all changed later."
Dwight graduated the high school 1951. He may not have realized it then, but Bishop Ward was his launching pad.
"I competed in the school on par with 800 other white kids," he said. "When I went out into the workforce, I didn’t have this'monkey on my back.' Being self-critical and not thinking I was equal to other people because I already proved I could perform on a world stage. This was a microcosm of the world stage."
Up until last month, Dwight was still waiting on his chance to reach space.
"When they came to me with the idea, I said this is a 'why not' option," he said. "It captures the end of the story."
He went to space in a Blue Origin Rocket in May. Walking the hallways of Bishop Ward reminds him of where his dreams began.
Dwight is a historian, sculptor and space pioneer.
He never misses an opportunity to share his wisdom, especially to youth.
"I tell the kids when I talk to the kids, 'you never know who's watching,'" he said.
Jackson asked Dwight, what's next?
"There's somebody else making that decision and that's the guy upstairs because I'm getting old," he said. "I can't stop that train. The train is out the station."
Dwight will turn 91 years old in the next few weeks. Wyandotte County also honored him with a key to the city.
Kansas lawmakers passed a resolution last month to display Dwight's artwork around the capitol.
He is also being considered for a Congressional Gold Medal.
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