大象传媒

The Soviet Union and the US were not only competing to get a man into space but they were also competing to get the first black man into space.

A new documentary called Black in Space: Beyond the Color Barrier explores the reasons behind this and speaks to the people involved. The Soviets ultimately won that battle with a Cuban astronaut and director Laurens Grant explains why it took America so long to catch up.

(Photo: Ronald McNair, Guion Bluford, Frederick Gregory Credit: NASA)