The Old Negro Space Program

Wallace Jefferson applies for a job at NASA and confronts the era’s whites-only policy. He remains determined to pursue space regardless of the obstacles. This moment sets the tone for the challenges faced by the NASSA movement.

Wallace teams with Louie Hays to form the Negro American Space Society of Astronauts. They launch a bold bid to organize black astronauts outside the segregated system. The formation marks the start of a nationwide movement.

Sullivan Carew becomes the pivotal voice within NASSA, galvanizing members and supporters. He champions the cause and embodies the hopeful yet defiant spirit of the group. His leadership helps attract attention to the fledgling program.

By 1960 NASSA grows into a nationwide movement with more than 240 members signing up. The ranks spawn excitement and a sense of possibility across communities. Volunteers barnstorm across small towns to raise funds and awareness.

Members travel the country to perform demonstrations and recruit new signups. They become minor celebrities in communities they visit and earn endorsements from unlikely supporters. The movement spreads its message far beyond initial supporters.

In Washington the government fears losing the space race to the Soviets and, more pressingly, losing to NASSA. Officials begin to monitor the movement and consider the implications for national prestige. The tension between government and grassroots achievement deepens.

Sullivan Carew dies in a heroic accident when a rocket powered school bus burns up in the atmosphere. His sacrifice underscores the dangers of their bold program. The tragedy steels the resolve of NASSA members to continue.

Peter Stinky Pete Carver catches fire in an Illinois church parking lot during a test or event. The incident is a setback but the group refuses to be deterred. The community rallies around the survivors.

Stinky Pete is extinguished and makes another launch the very next day. The resilience and stubborn optimism of NASSA are on full display. The quick comeback demonstrates their resolve.

The film includes a poignant letter from Sullivan Carew to his wife written two days before his death. It provides a quiet counterpoint to the larger space race drama. The letter underscores personal sacrifice behind the public ambitions.

NASA makes a calculated bid to recruit light skinned members who could pass as white. The tactic is ineffective against the broader push for inclusion. The attempt reveals the depth of racial barriers the movement faces.

In response to the rising profile of NASSA, the government enacts a black blackout silencing positive stories. Newspapers focus on crime and unrest while NASSA achievements disappear from the front pages. The movement struggles to gain public recognition.

Wallace Jefferson and Louie Hayes land their rocket powered Coupe de Ville on the Moon and return safely to Earth. The feat is celebrated within the movement but overshadowed by media silencing back home. The mission demonstrates what the group has accomplished.

The Moon landing receives little attention in national headlines due to the blackout, published only on a distant page. The achievement is nearly erased from the national memory. Frustrated, Jefferson and his friends decide to shut down NASSA.

Following the blackout and fading momentum, Wallace Jefferson and the remaining members decide to shut down NASSA. The dream fades as quickly as it rose, leaving a lasting reminder of the era. The characters reflect on what might have been.