This typed handbill, circulated in 1969-1971, rallies support for the Apollo 8 astronauts after atheist activist Madalyn Murray O’Hair allegedly collected thousands of letters protesting their on-air Bible reading from lunar orbit in December 1968. Emphasizing that NASA and allied groups want to “offset” O’Hair’s campaign by gathering at least 100,000 signatures, the handbill includes a tear-off form letter addressed to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). By urging signers to back the astronauts’ “right…to express [their] faith in God and the Bible,” it offers a concise snapshot of how religion, free expression, and American space exploration intersected at the height of the Space Age.
Historical Context
Apollo 8 marked the first human journey around the Moon, a major triumph in the Cold War “space race.” On Christmas Eve 1968, astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders broadcast a holiday message from lunar orbit, reading the opening verses of the Book of Genesis. While many lauded this gesture as inspirational, others argued it blurred the lines between church and state, given NASA’s status as a government agency.
Madalyn Murray O’Hair, founder of American Atheists and a key figure in Supreme Court cases banning mandatory prayer in public schools, became emblematic of the secular backlash. Through letters, media statements, and even legal efforts, she challenged public expressions of faith by government-affiliated figures. In this environment, supporters of religious freedom and the astronauts’ choice to read from the Bible mounted grassroots campaigns—like the one documented in this handbill—urging the public to bombard NASA with letters of endorsement.
Strategy and Messaging
- Letter-Writing as Civic Engagement
The handbill exemplifies a classic “call-to-action” approach. By providing a pre-written script and NASA’s address, it lowers the barrier to participation and transforms passive supporters into active advocates. - Counter-Mobilization
The text references O’Hair’s “27,000 letters” in protest, positioning supporters’ letters as a direct counterbalance. This framing underscores how letter-writing campaigns can be used to claim majority sentiment and sway public or institutional opinion. - Appeal to Free Speech and Religious Liberty
The form letter states that each person “fully supports…publicly [expressing] his faith in God and the Bible.” Casting the controversy in terms of free speech and religious freedom broadens potential appeal, reaching beyond strictly religious circles to anyone concerned about government “censure.” - Moral Indignation and Urgency
While the language is measured, phrases like “threatened by censure” and calls for immediate mailing convey a sense of impending crisis. Such urgency encourages rapid response, typical of political campaigns that fear losing ground to an opposing viewpoint.
Language, Imagery, and Symbolism
- Invoking the Astronauts’ Heroic Status
The text highlights that these men orbited the Moon during a peak national achievement. Associating them with faith-based expression effectively links patriotism and religious tradition in the public mind. - Emphasis on Public Duty
By describing NASA “in cooperation with other groups” and referencing a need for “at least 100,000 signed letters,” the handbill appeals to readers’ sense of civic responsibility. It positions participants as guardians of religious liberty, reinforcing the notion that personal letters could shape NASA policy. - Simplicity Over Flash
The document is matter-of-fact, presumably typed and easily duplicated. The straightforward design underscores that the main objective is generating a tangible, quantifiable wave of mail, rather than persuading through elaborate visuals.
Impact and Legacy
Apollo 8’s Bible reading debate prefigured wider arguments over the role of public religious expression in government and society. Although NASA never sanctioned or censured the astronauts, the controversy helped clarify boundaries between official state activities and personal spiritual statements by government employees.
Grassroots efforts like this handbill reveal how Americans channeled patriotic fervor and Cold War–era religiosity into letter campaigns, hoping to sway agency decisions. The phenomenon of “opposing letters” to show either widespread support or dissent would repeat across multiple cultural and political issues in subsequent decades.
While the immediate result—no formal censure—was a victory for pro-Bible-reading voices, the matter remains a touchstone in ongoing discussions about faith, the First Amendment, and the symbolic power of national achievements.
Special thanks to the USC Digital Imaging Lab for their support in digitizing this item.
