Keynote Speaker

Ed Dwight’s extraordinary career spans aviation, engineering, entrepreneurship, and the arts, solidifying his legacy as an American trailblazer. His relentless pursuit of excellence has left an enduring impact across multiple fields.

Born in 1933 and raised in Kansas City, Kansas, Dwight joined the U.S. Air Force in 1953, becoming a military fighter pilot. While serving, he attended Arizona State University, graduating cum laude with a degree in Aeronautical Engineering. In 1961, his determination caught the attention of President John F. Kennedy, who selected him as the first Black astronaut candidate. Although he was ultimately not chosen for NASA’s astronaut corps, his groundbreaking role paved the way for future Black astronauts.

Upon leaving the Air Force in 1966, Dwight became a systems engineer at IBM and later founded a restaurant chain and a real estate development company in Denver. His career took a turn in 1974 when he was commissioned to create a sculpture of George Brown, Colorado’s first Black lieutenant governor. This launched a prolific artistic journey, leading to his Black Frontier Spirit in the American West series, honoring African Americans’ contributions to the West.

Over the past five decades, Dwight has become world renowned sculptor of Black history. His body of work includes over 20,000 gallery pieces, displayed in museums and private collections worldwide. His public art legacy is impressive, with more than 130 large-scale monuments installed across the U.S. and Canada. His sculptures honor iconic figures such as the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, and the Underground Railroad. His celebrated series, Jazz: An American Artform, traces jazz from its African roots to legendary artists like Duke Ellington, Miles Davis, and Ella Fitzgerald.

In 2024, at the age of 90, Dwight made history again, becoming the oldest person to travel to space aboard a Blue Origin rocket.

Ed Dwight’s life story is that of an undeniable spirit—one that continues to break barriers, redefine possibilities, and inspire generations.