Ed Dwight Bio, Age, Family, Wife, Astronaut, Sculpting, Book, Net Worth

Ed Dwight Education

Dwight went to grade school at Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Kansas City, Missouri. In 1951, he became the first African-American male to graduate from Bishop Ward High School. Bishop Ward High School was a private Roman Catholic high school in Kansas City, Kansas.

Dwight was also a member of the National Honor Society. He received a scholarship to attend the Kansas City Art Institute.

He enrolled in Kansas City Junior College and graduated with an Associate of Arts degree in Engineering in 1953. Dwight subsequently enlisted in the United States Air Force and completed his airman’s and cadet pre-flight training at Lackland Air Force Base near San Antonio, Texas.

Dwight then traveled to Malden Air Base in Malden, Missouri to finish his primary flight training. He later received a commission as an Air Force second lieutenant in 1955 before being assigned to Williams Air Force Base, southeast of Phoenix, Arizona.

While he was training to become a test pilot, he attended night classes at Arizona State University. Later in 1957, Dwight graduated cum laude with a B.S. in aeronautical engineering.

Dwight later went on to complete Air Force courses in experimental test piloting and aerospace research at Edwards Air Force Base in 1961 and 1962, respectively.

After being confronted with racial discrimination and a lack of career opportunities, Dwight resigned from the Air Force in 1966.

He moved to Denver and earned an M.F.A. degree in sculpture from the University of Denver in 1977.

Ed Dwight Age

Dwight was born on September 9, 1933, in Kansas City, Kansas. He is 87 years old as of 2020.

Ed Dwight Astronaut

In 1953, Dwight joined the United States Air Force. Later in 1957, while serving as an Air Force test pilot, he earned a degree in Aeronautical Engineering from Arizona State University. He received the rank of captain while serving in the Air Force.

Pre-Astronaut training

In 1961, Frederick Dutton, special assistant to the president, wrote to Adam Yarmolinsky, special assistant to the secretary of defense to say that it was important “that for symbolic purposes in crossing the frontiers of space, this country would have qualified members from minority backgrounds.”

Shortly after, General Curtis LeMay, the Air Force Chief of Staff, told Chuck Yeager, who was running the Aerospace Research Pilot School (ARPS) at Edwards Air Force Base that, ” Bobby Kennedy wants a colored in space. Get one into your course.”

This communication placed Dwight on a career track that could have sent him into outer space. His selection garnered international media attention, and he appeared on the covers of newsmagazines such as Ebony, Jet, and Sepia.

After being confronted with racial discrimination and a lack of career opportunities, Dwight resigned from the Air Force in 1966.

Ed Dwight Sculpting

After Dwight resigned from the Air Force, he worked as an engineer, in real estate, and for IBM. ]

He learned how to operate the University of Denver’s metal casting foundry in the mid-1970s. In 1977, he received a Master of Fine Arts from the University.

Each one of his pieces involves blacks and civil rights activists. Most of the pieces depict only black people. However, the Underground Railroad Sculpture in Battle Creek also honors Erastus and Sarah Hussey, who were conductors on the Underground Railroad.

Dwight’s first major works was a commission in 1974 to create a sculpture of Colorado Lieutenant Governor George L. Brown.

Later, he was commissioned by the Colorado Centennial Commission to create a series of bronze sculptures entreated “Black Frontier in the American West.”

After his completion of his “Black Frontier in the American West” exhibit, Dwight created a series of over 70 bronze sculptures at the St. Louis Arch Museum at the request of the National Park Service.

The series, “Jazz: An American Art Form”, depicts the evolution of jazz and features jazz performers such as Louis Armstrong

Dwight owns and operates Ed Dwight Studios, based in Denver, Colorado. He is recognized for innovative use of negative space in sculpting.

Ed Dwight Net Worth

Dwight’s net worth is under review. We will provide this information once it is available.