African American Astronauts

Artist Ira Blount created this quilt to celebrate African American astronauts. He used commercially available patches and cross stitched their names. Patches include a NASA patch, an American flag, the space shuttle, and others commemorating the Challenger, Spacelab 3, Challenger, Atlas, STS-51-L, and STS-47 missions. Among the celebrated astronauts are Guion S. Bluford Jr., Frederick D. Gregory, Ronald E. McNair, Charles F. Bolden, and Mae C. Jemison. The metal wings are a souvenir from the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum. Stitches emerge like rays out of the NASA patch, and small stars are hand-quilted with silver embroidery thread.

After moving to Washington, DC following World War II, Ira Blount mastered dozens of artisanal crafts. His love for crafting, learning, and community engagement would endure over the course of his long life and career.