Ronald McNair, left, Guion Bluford and Frederick Gregory were the first African Americans to go into space. (photo courtesy of NASA)

On Monday, Feb. 20, the California African American Museum, Spectrum and the Smithsonian Channel will host a screening of “Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier.”

The film tells the story of the world’s first black astronauts and examines the crucial moment when America’s history of racial prejudice became a critical vulnerability in the effort to win hearts and minds around the globe.

Panelists include Laurens Grant, the film’s director and producer; Edward Dwight, a U.S. Air Force pilot and NASA astronaut candidate; and Kenneth Phillips, a curator for Aerospace Science at the California Science Center. The discussion will be moderated by Entertainment Tonight co-host Kevin Frazier.

The event is private and open only by invitation. It will be held at the California African American Museum in Exposition Park. A reception will be held at 6:30 p.m., followed by the screening and panel discussion at 7:15 p.m.

“Black in Space: Breaking the Color Barrier” will premiere at 8 p.m. on Feb. 24, on the Smithsonian Channel.

The California African American Museum is located at 600 State Drive. For information, call (213)744-7432, or visit caamuseum.org.