Just when we dearly needed something to counter “make America great again” narratives attacking workplace diversity, the Artemis II crew splashed down in the ocean, completing a spaceflight for the ages. And with crew staff Victor Glover and Christina Koch, the social epidemic of anti-wokeness — with its virulent strains of racism and sexism — was administered in inoculation. Think of it as a temporary vaccine against human resources stupidity.
With a Black man piloting the spacecraft, there was no crashing into the dark side of the moon. That was notwithstanding fears prominently expressed (by a famous MAGA advocate) of flying on commercial flights with Black pilots. Why the anxiety? Because he doubted Black pilots were qualified for their roles. Perhaps he was unaware of the Tuskegee Airmen’s glorious legacy.
Also, to all the purported “manly men” populating the dank abyss known as the manosphere, I pose two questions. Could they possibly summon the intestinal fortitude to endure the rigors of space that Christina Koch endured for ten days? And would their manly bravado have equipped them to serve, among other roles, as the flight’s “space plumber” — as she did?
Thus, America should be grateful that NASA is not part of the Department of Defense. For we would likely have seen Secretary Pete Hegseth purging Glover, a former Navy aviator, and Koch from the mission —just as he has repeatedly purged other Black and female talent in his culture war against diversity. So because of Glover and Koch, maybe, just maybe, one day the diversity, equity and inclusion haters will understand that Black and female excellence is — dare I say? — out of this world.
American social epidemics can be enduringly malevolent (e.g., Jim Crow, 20th-century anti-Asian sentiments, and 21st-century antisemitism). Or they can be uplifting. The diversity of the Artemis II mission offers us the latter. But it will be essential to continuously circulate images of all four crew members together. American eyeballs should see them in our schools and in Congress.
But the Artemis II mission offers yet one additional high note.
Over the past centuries, Black Americans have experienced multiple divides—barriers either created intentionally or by the absence of empathy. There were the racial embargoes of segregation that hindered the pursuit of higher education, decent homes, and many jobs. In the early years of the Internet Age, a digital divide had evolved, characterized by limited access to computing power. That was based on the affordability of the technology or disparities in broadband availability in certain urban and rural communities.
Most recently, we are seeing yet another digital divide regarding access to and proficiency with artificial intelligence (AI). As we march toward the year 2030, many Americans may face the threat of functional obsolescence or competitive disadvantage unless they are AI adept.
There is also, however, the risk of a “cosmic divide.” This would involve the absence of Black Americans in future opportunities generated by space exploration. Will the USA, Russia, and China monopolize the contests to exploit the resources and possibilities of lunar exploration and, years later, even Mars? Might this even echo that voracious scramble at the Berlin Conference of 1884, which carved up Africa among the competing European powers?
So, here is the stark political reality. It confronts Black Americans and technical professionals of color — i.e., military officers, scientists, and engineers. NASA’s future objectives include establishing a long-term, continuous presence on and around the Moon. The Artemis II crew’s staffing, inclusive of Glover and Koch, had been established during the Biden Administration. Yet I suspect that any attempt by Donald Trump to change the Artemis II crew would have delayed the recent mission. And that likely would have disrupted the timeline for subsequent lunar missions. But that doesn’t mean that his anti-Biden and anti-diversity instincts won’t attempt to bar a future Black presence in outer space.
There were no Africans or Black Americans at that Berlin Conference of the 19th century. There was, however, a Victor Glover on the 21st century’s Artemis mission. And we should insist that Congress ensures that there are other Victor Glovers and Dr. Mae Jemisons involved in future space exploration and its economic ripple effects.
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G. Lamont Blackstone has led talent cultivation and diversity initiatives as a volunteer for organizations such as the Urban Bankers Coalition, African-American Real Estate Professionals of New York, and Project REAP. He is the former chief investment officer of the first national equity investment fund to target inner-city neighborhoods.