The National Aeronautics and Space Administration's Langley Research Center gave these bookends to James Webb in January 1969. Webb, Administrator of NASA from February 1961 to October 1968, presided over the tremendous growth of the agency and numerous successful unmanned and manned space flight programs. Langley Research Center was originally established under the predecessor National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and was transferred to the newly-created NASA in October 1958.
This object is on display in James S. McDonnell Space Hangar at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, VA.