NASSAU BAY, Texas – A new public monument just blocks from NASA’s Johnson Space Center aims to spotlight a part of Space City history many residents say has been underrecognized: the Black astronauts, scientists, engineers and civil rights leaders who helped shape America’s space program.
The installation, called EarthRise, is slated to be dedicated Sunday, Aug. 16 at 11 a.m. on the grounds of St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church in Nassau Bay. Organizers say it will be the first permanent public monument in the Houston area focused on honoring African American pioneers connected to the nation’s space efforts. The piece will remain free and open to the public year-round.
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Church and diocesan leaders say the monument is intended to serve as both a work of public art and a statement about who gets remembered in civic spaces—especially in a community long associated with the Space Age.
“EarthRise reminds us that history is strongest when every story is told,” said The Rt. Rev. Andrew Doyle, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. “The discoveries, leadership, advocacy and service of these pioneers helped transform America’s space program, and recognizing their legacy reflects our commitment to truth, justice and the inherent dignity of every human being.”
EarthRise Monument Dedication
- When: Sunday, Aug. 16, 2026 — 11 a.m.
- Where: St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, 18300 Upper Bay Road, Nassau Bay, TX 77058
- Cost: Free; open to the public year-round
Eight honorees, spanning spaceflight, science and leadership
According to project organizers, EarthRise will honor eight individuals and groups whose work influenced NASA and broader American life. Those being recognized are:
- Ed Dwight
- Robert Henry Lawrence Jr.
- George Robert Carruthers
- Ruth Bates Harris
- NASA Astronaut Group 8
- Dr. Bernard Harris Jr.
- Sunita Williams
- Charles Bolden Jr.
The list includes former NASA Administrator Charles Bolden Jr., who has longstanding ties to the church where the monument will be located. Organizers describe him as a longtime member of St. Thomas’, where he served in leadership roles and participated in church ministries.
“To be honored alongside these pioneers, in a community that has meant so much to my family, is deeply humbling,” Bolden said. “I hope every young person who visits EarthRise sees that there are many paths into science, service and exploration.”
Why Nassau Bay — and why this church
Nassau Bay was developed in the early 1960s as a planned community for people moving to the region to work at what was then the Manned Spacecraft Center. Over the decades, the city became known for its close relationship to the space program—earning the nickname “the city NASA built.”
St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church was founded in 1964 as the community grew. The church says its congregation over the years has included astronauts and prominent NASA figures, and its parish school has served families tied to the space industry for decades.
Project leaders say placing EarthRise there is intentional: it situates the monument inside a community built around space exploration, while widening the narrative of who helped make that history.
Funding and design process
Organizers say the project represents an investment of more than $125,000, funded through the Talbot Foundation of the Episcopal Diocese of Texas. An international design competition drew 23 submissions, and Genesis Art Collaborative was selected in 2023 to design the installation.
Research commissioned for the project found that fewer than 5% of Nassau Bay homeowners are African American, while more than 30% of the city’s apartment residents are Black. Organizers say the monument is meant to encourage reflection on representation—both in local history and in the public art that communities choose to display.