America 250: One Step - Armstrong’s Walk on the Moon

Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong became the first human to walk on the moon on July 20, 1969.

“That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” has echoed throughout history as the first words spoken by Apollo 11 Commander Neil Armstrong, the first human to walk on the Moon. On July 20, 1969, millions watched the historic moment as Armstrong and Lunar Module Pilot Buzz Aldrin walked on the lunar surface. They collected samples, took photographs, and planted the American flag nearly 240,000 miles from Earth. The mission was a major milestone in the Cold War space race between the United States and the Soviet Union. Following Apollo 11, NASA completed five more successful lunar landing missions, the last in 1972. Armstrong’s first step remains one of the most defining moments in American history.