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Tim Craire

Oh YES Star Trek blazed a good trail!

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Tim Craire
, January 28th, 2011 at 08:59 AM (467 Views)
Anyone hear the NPR story this morning about how Star Trek (TOS) influenced the African-American astronaut Ronald McNair? He was a member of the Challenger crew 25 years ago.

My inclination has always been to believe that equality portrayed in entertainment could be influential in the real world; so it was a good thing, for example, that Star Trek way back in the ‘60s showed an integrated crew, and that William Shatner kissed Nichelle Nichols onscreen. I worried I was being naïve, though, and that any actual progress in equality had nothing to do with anything as insignificant as a science fiction television show.

But Ronald McNair’s brother Carl, in the NPR story, cites Star Trek and seems to credit it with encouraging Ronald to dream of becoming an astronaut.

So how about that. Furthermore, I also believe the Olympics are a good thing in that they bring nations together, as imperfect as they are . . . but I guess that’s for another blog.

Link to the NPR story:

[URL="http://www.npr.org/2011/01/28/133275198/astronauts-brother-recalls-a-man-who-dreamed-big"]http://www.npr.org/2011/01/28/133275198/astronauts-brother-recalls-a-man-who-dreamed-big[/URL]

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  1. Hobbit's Avatar
    And Ron McNair was due to play saxophone live from space to the Jean Michel Jarre concert in Houston...

    From Wikipedia:

    Jarre worked with several Houston-based astronauts including Bruce McCandless II, and former Jazz musician Ronald McNair, who was to have played the saxophone on "Rendez-Vous VI", recorded in the weightless environment of space. McNair was to have performed at the concert over a live link, but was killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on 28 January 1986.

    Immediately following the accident consideration was given to the cancellation of the concert, but Jarre was contacted by McCandless and urged to proceed, and to mark the event as a tribute to the crew of the Shuttle mission.

    Following the Challenger disaster, the piece was recorded by Kirk Whalum and retitled "Ron's Piece".

    I remember just before take-off, Ron calling me in Paris saying "Everything's ready, see you in a week's time, watch me on television for the take-off" ... I will really, keep always, the bit of Ron's smile and Ron's face in my heart.
    —Jean Michel Jarre