From National Geographic Documentary Films comes The Space Race, an emotive and educational exploration of the experiences of the first Black astronauts. Featuring candid interviews from Ed Dwight, Guion Bluford, Charles Bolden, and Victor Glover, the documentary spotlights the oft-omitted racial injustice narratives and present-day realities of these pioneers. 

This film weaves together archival footage of U.S. space expeditions, Afrofuturist cultural milestones, and stories told by Black astronauts into an enlightening dialogue about the expectations placed on trailblazers. Tackling defining moments of American history, from the Kennedy assassination to the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster to the George Floyd uprising, these dynamic discussions posit new meditations on the fight for equality. As the documentary transverses space and decades, it encourages a reclamation of the past as a way to create a limitless future.––Shakira Refos

Diego Hurtado de Mendoza and Lisa Cortés