Mae Jemison (1956 – ) was the first African-American woman astronaut to go into space in 1992. She went into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as a Mission Specialist. Space Shuttle Endeavour was built to replace Space Shuttle Challenger which exploded seconds after lift-off in 1986. Aboard the fatal Space Shuttle Challenger was Ronald McNair who, likewise, was a black astronaut working as a Mission Specialist. Dr. Jemison’s role as a Mission Specialist was to conduct experiments in life and material sciences on various test subjects.
In addition to being an astronaut, Dr. Jemison is also a scientist, chemical engineer, physician, professor, and author of children books. She was born in Alabama and raised in Chicago. From kindergarten, Mae Jemison already knew she wanted to be a scientist. She won a scholarship to Stanford University and graduated with degrees in Chemical Engineering and African and African American studies. Jemison received her medical degree from Cornell University.
Being an astronaut was just one of her accomplishments. During medical school, she conducted studies in Cuba and worked at a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand. After graduation, she worked in the Peace Corps as a physician in Sierra Leone and Liberia. After NASA, Mae Jemison continued to her work. She started her own research and development company, and became a professor at Dartmouth College and Cornell University. Furthermore, she wrote multiple children books. Her foundation, named in honor of her mother, supports science literacy for children with international science camps. Dr. Jemison even appeared in an episode of Star Trek.
Dr. Mae Jemison has received numerous awards and honorary degrees for her work. In an interview, she recalled a Stanford professor questioning her intellectual capabilities as a student. Although they did not believe in her, she believed in herself. Culture Blurb also believes in her and thanks Dr. Jemison for her contributions to space and science.