From School Library Journal
Grade 6 Up?Based on a 1990 television documentary by the same name, this attractive oversized volume updates and brings the information to a wider audience. Burns and Miles begin with a chapter on the African American pilots of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, and continue with the experience of Ed Dwight, a Korean War era pilot who was recommended for the Astronaut Training Program by President Kennedy. These early pioneers faced blatant racial discrimination and had to work especially hard to succeed. The contributions of African American scientists and physicans who worked behind the scenes are documented, as is NASA's campaign, with the advent of the Space Shuttle Program, to recruit minority trainees. The authors use quotations from the television documentary to tell the compelling and at times horrifying story in a full and lively manner. Excellent-quality, sharply reproduced, black-and-white photographs appear on nearly every spread. A must purchase for all collections.?Margaret M. Hagel, Norfolk Public Library System, VA
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Booklist
Gr. 4-6. Burns and Miles, whose documentary
Black Stars in Orbit appeared on public television in 1990, retell the story of African American astronauts in a book for children. The writing is straightforward, recording the early days of discrimination against black pilots in World War II as well as the eventual inclusion of black astronauts at NASA and their experiences and accomplishments to date. Quotations from the astronauts add life to the narrative, and one interesting sidelight shows the role played by Nichelle Nichols (
Star Trek`s Lieutenant Uhura) in encouraging qualified black candidates to apply for the space program. Black-and-white photographs of varying quality appear throughout the crisply designed, oversize book. An interesting look at an untapped topic.
Carolyn Phelan
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
