Each year, Black Space Week celebrates the achievements of Black Americans in space-related fields.

To kick-off Black Space Week 2024, NASA is collaborating with the National Space Council for the Beyond the Color Lines: From Science Fiction to Science Fact forum on Monday, June 17, at 11:30 a.m. EDT at the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington.

Participants include Mr. Chirag Parikh, Deputy Assistant to the President and Executive Director, National Space Council; Dr. Quincy Brown, Director of Space STEM and Workforce Policy, White House National Space Council; and other private-sector and government agency leadership. 

Current and former NASA astronauts will join the Standing on the Shoulders of Giants panel to discuss the past, present, and future of space exploration. The panel will be moderated by the Honorable Charles F. Bolden Jr.\, former administrator of NASA and a former astronaut who flew on four Space Shuttle missions. Participants include:

• Victor J. Glover, Jr., NASA Astronaut and U.S. Navy Captain
• Jessica Watkins, NASA Astronaut
• Yvonne Cagle, NASA Astronaut
• Leland Melvin, former NASA Astronaut
• Joan Higginbotham, former NASA Astronaut

Additional panels include HERStory, sharing the untold stories of Black women leaders in space, STEM, arts, diplomacy, and business, and a discussion with young leaders, educators, and scientists about education and career paths for the future of space.

Additional event details, including registration and streaming information, can be found at nmaahc.si.edu.