Mae Jemison’s Inspiration
Mae Jemison became the first African American woman in space. Born on October 17, 1956 in Decatur, Alabama, she was the youngest of three children. As a child she loved dance. She also knew she wanted to study science. Undoubtedly, Mae found her inspiration Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek. African American actress Nichelle Nichols starred in that role. Determined to travel in space one day, Mae attended Stanford University. She graduated in 1977 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering. In addition, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in African and African American studies.
Next, Mae attended Cornell Medical School. During that time, she traveled to Cuba to lead a study for the Medical Student Association. She also worked at a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand. In 1981, Mae graduated from Cornell with a Doctorate in Medicine. She did her internship at the Los Angeles County Medical Center. Subsequently, she joined the Peace Corps serving as a medical officer for two years in Africa.
Applying to NASA
Upon her return to the United States, Mae opened a private practice. Flying in space soon became a possibility, however. Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, provided Mae with a determination to fulfill her dream. She applied to NASA’s astronaut program in 1985. Tragically, the Challenger exploded in 1986. As a result, NASA took a break from accepting new people. Not to be deterred, Jemison applied again in 1987. This time, she became one of 15 individuals chosen from over 2,000 applicants.
Mae trained with NASA and worked on projects at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. Her first mission came on September 28, 1989 on the STS-47 as a Mission Specialist. On September 12, 1992, Mae and six other astronauts crewed on the space shuttle Endeavor. This voyage made Jemison the first African American woman in space. The team made 127 orbits around the Earth and returned to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 20, 1992.
After NASA
Mae Jemison left NASA in 1993. She served as an astronaut for six years. Her next venture proved to be the establishment of the Jemison Group. The consulting company encouraged science, technology, and social change. In addition, she taught environmental studies at Dartmouth College. In 1993, Mae received an invitation to participate in an episode of the Star Trek television show. A great fan of the show, she couldn’t turn the invitation down. As a result, Mae became the first real astronaut to be on an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. She played Lieutenant Palmer in the episode, “Second Chance”.
Honors
Mae Jemison received several honorary doctorates. She also became an inductee in the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame. Mae continuous to be an advocate for involving young people in Science and Technology.