Today in the history of astronomy, the first Black female astronaut is born.
The first Black woman in space, Mae Jemison was a medical doctor in the Peace Corps before applying to be an astronaut. Credit: NASA
Born Oct. 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama, and raised in Chicago, Mae Jemison showed a passion and talent for science from early in her childhood. After graduating high school by the age of 16, Jemison attended Stanford University and earned a B.S. in chemical engineering and a B.A. in African American studies. She went on to Cornell Medical College, and after completing her M.D. in 1981, worked for several years as a medical officer in the Peace Corps.
Watching Sally Ride become the first American woman in space inspired Jemison to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming an astronaut, and on June 4, 1987, she became the first Black woman admitted into NASA’s training program. On Sept. 12, 1992, she launched as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor, becoming the first woman of color in space. During her eight-day flight, she conducted experiments that capitalized on her background as a medical doctor, including research on motion sickness and on bone density in space. Since her return to Earth, Jemison has focused on education and technology access and integration, including teaching at Dartmouth and founding a science camp for children – and even made a guest appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation.
Elisa Neckar is senior production editor of Astronomy magazine, and the editor of the Today in the History of Astronomy feature on Astronomy.com.