Robert H. Lawrence Jr. trailblazing astronaut

Created for Cities and Memory's Shortwave project, this piece starts from the real shortwave audio from the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster to tell the real story of Robert H. Lawrence Jr., a United States Air Force officer and the first African-American astronaut.

"Shortwave radio is one of the most fascinating sonic worlds – capturing vital moments in world history as well as the thrill of pirate radio, clandestine radio stations, secretive number stations, military and spy radio. All of humanity is truly out there to be listened to at the turn of a dial – and it’s been remixed and reimagined in the Shortwave Transmissions project."

Shortwave is a project by Cities and Memory citiesandmemory.com/shortwave/

The image is by artist Tavares Strachan. I Belong Here (White), 2012

Voice Romeo M. Minutolo
Production, editing & sound design M.Cristina Marras
[03/10/2021]