Talbot Fund Project in Progress

St. Thomas the Apostle, Houston, to Erect Sculpture

Honoring African American Contributions to NASA

St. Thomas the Apostle, Houston, was a 2021 recipient of the John and Joseph Talbot Fund. The parish decided to create a sculpture in the community that will honor seven luminaries from NASA, both past and present, who served not only as astronauts, but also as administrators, engineers, and across a spectrum of roles. They will be featured in epaulettes on an Apollo-shaped reflection pedestal and seating space. Other prominent contributors to NASA’s commitment to space will be engraved into the flooring, linked to their history, with images included. The committee is currently working on an outline for a documentarian to capture the phases of construction and explain the various design elements, while also encompassing the diocesan and parish vision for the piece. Stories of community involvement will also be recorded.

Charles F. Bolden, Jr., Former NASA Administrator and Senior Warden, St. Thomas the Apostle

Charles “Charlie” Bolden, Jr., is an ideal example of one of the diocese’s own who has played integral roles – both at NASA and at St. Thomas the Apostle. Bolden served as administrator of NASA. Before leaving Houston, he was a deeply involved parishioner at St. Thomas the Apostle. (Prior to that, he also attended St. James’ Episcopal Church, Houston). Bolden, a retired major general of the United States Marine Corps, is also a former astronaut who participated in four Space Shuttle missions. He is a 1968 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. At St. Thomas the Apostle, Bolden and the Rev. Mike Stone became acquainted through the church’s school, and later, his involvement in the church landed him as the Senior Warden as well as a soloist in the choir. One of his missions, he flew the church’s paten into outer space.

Work is well underway, and Stone is working to secure additional funding through area donors and the aerospace community to support the intractability of the installation and its maintenance. While artists move forward, and the engineering to finalize a section of the design before fabrication, the committee is busy at work, honing in on the luminaries to be honored in what will be a gift to the entire community and for those who visit. Without the generous donation from the Episcopal Diocese of Texas Racial Justice Initiative’s Talbot Fund, this historic and monumental addition to the greater Houston area would not have been realized.

The John and Joseph Talbot Fund for Racial Reconciliation provides a gift to underwrite a program of church community reconciliation initiatives, bringing together the work of the Equal Justice Initiative’s Lynching Memorial work and justice work in local communities. Congregations can apply for grants to do the works of racial justice in their communities.