Abstract

Most would say that the pinnacle of the Space Race was when the United States landed on the Moon. Besides the countless videos and images, what is the proof that the U.S. was there? Moon rocks are tangible evidence that the U.S. was on the Moon. Once the moon rocks came to Earth, they were studied, distributed, and displayed. The goal of this research is to examine the displays and narratives of the Apollo lunar samples. Understanding where and how the rocks ended up in their earthly homes around the country allows for analysis of the historical and cultural impacts of these rocks. It is important to understand the Moon and its history because the lunar landings were a major part of the 1960s in the United States. My research involves hunting down the lunar samples that are across the U.S. and working with several institutions to gather the stories of their lunar samples. My research shows that the lunar samples are not only rocks and pebbles, but they are objects that share different stories about the history of Apollo and, therefore, are an important part of Apollo's legacy.

Notes

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Graduation Date

2022

Semester

Summer

Advisor

Foster, Amy

Degree

Master of Arts (M.A.)

College

College of Arts and Humanities

Department

History

Degree Program

History; Public History

Identifier

CFE0009268; DP0026872

URL

https://purls.library.ucf.edu/go/DP0026872

Language

English

Release Date

August 2022

Length of Campus-only Access

None

Access Status

Masters Thesis (Open Access)

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