We're here today to discuss a true visionary. Jack Parsons pushed the bounds of science, technology, and society. His life was filled with adventure, discovery, and occult activity. Jack was an otherworldly Thelemic magician, he was a revolutionary rocket scientist and referred to by some as the "Strange Angel." 

John (Jack) Parsons - born with the name Marvel Whiteside Parsons - came into the world on October 2nd, 1914, in Los Angeles, California. His father, Marvel H. Parsons, worked as a machinist in a local factory, and his mother, Ruth Virginia Whiteside, was a devout Christian Scientist. In 1915, shortly after Jack's birth, Marvel and Ruth's marriage fell apart. Ruth filed for divorce after she discovered her husband in bed with another woman. From that point forward, Jack's communication with his father was cut off, his father started another family, and Ruth's parents moved her and little Jack into a beautiful home in Pasadena, California located on "Millionaire's Mile" - a.k.a Orange Grove Blvd. Jack's early life was lavish, filled with domestic servants, and doting upon by his mother and grandparents. 

Jack grew up with a thirst for knowledge, spending most of his time reading, and being notably fascinated with Arthurian legend and science fiction magazines. This made him notably unpopular, and he performed poorly in junior high school - with some speculating that he suffered from dyslexia. His interest in rocket science began when he became close friends with Edward Foreman as a teenager. This led to plenty of experiments making rocket fuels and immense interest in the work of Robert Goddard. At this time, Jack's interest in the occult also began, with him invoking the Devil into his bedroom one night as a teenager. One thing led to another, and Jack Parsons grew into one of the most impactful rocket scientists of our time. Unfortunately, due to his activity with the occult, this led to many undesirable circumstances, that we'll discuss in this episode! 

In episode 24 of History Out of the Box, we discuss the mysterious life of Jack Parsons. A highly influential, intelligent, and impactful individual who also maintained an incredibly taboo lifestyle. We really enjoyed discovering the life of Jack Parsons and we hope you do as well!

History Out of The Box strives to connect our listeners with the echoes of our collective past, discussing the good, the bad, and the ugly associated with famous historical figures.