Mae Jemison: Space Welcomes the First Black Woman Astronaut

Mae Jemison is a black woman who has changed everything we ever thought about how far blacks can go, she has changed the very definition of people of color.

To learn more about this brilliant mind, read more…

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Mae Jemison Accomplishments

Photo credit: lev radin / Shutterstock.com

Mae Jemison made history as the first black woman in space. Born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama, this amazing African American pride got introduced to the world of science early in life. At 16, she enrolled at Stanford University and five years later, graduated with a double major in Chemical Engineering and Afro-American Studies.

In 1981, she received a Doctor of Medicine degree from Cornell University. She practiced for a while as a volunteer in a Cambodian refugee camp, in Kenya and in Cuba. While working as a general practitioner in Los Angeles, NASA recruited her along with 14 others for astronaut training. She completed her training in 1988.

On September 12, 1992, she was among the 7 people who went aboard the space shuttle Endeavour becoming the first black female astronaut. She served as a mission specialist supervising some of the research carried out in their space mission.

Dr. Mae C Jemison received many honorary awards. She received the Essence Science and Technology award in 1988 and was the Gamma Sigma Sigma Woman of the Year in 1990.

In 1992, she received the Johnson Publications Black Achievement Trailblazer award. She also appeared in the 2004 International Space Hall of Fame.

Her honors and awards number about 22 in all. She also possesses nine honorary doctorates in science, engineering, medicine, and letters.

Life after NASA

She resigned from NASA in 1993. As much as she loved the part she played, she also had a passion for activities that directly and immediately affect the daily lives of humans. As such, she chose to follow the course of promoting science and technology and their effect on daily living.

She’s a Martin Luther King Jr. believer who isn’t just about dreams but also keen on making them work. Many of her activities in medicine have been towards making the Third World a better place in terms of medical services rendered.

After NASA, she established the Jemison Group. A company dedicated to researching and applying science and technology to everyday life in developing countries. She is a member of the American Medical Association, the American Chemical Society, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Fun Facts about Mae Jemison

She is also a professor at Dartmouth College and is in charge of a science camp named The Earth We Share for 12 to 16-year-olds, which helps to improve their problem-solving skills and foster a love for science in them. In 2001, she wrote her autobiography entitled Find Where the Wind Goes: Moments from my Life.

It’s also amazing that she isn’t all about science and its application. She is a good dancer. According to her, dance and science are both avenues to express creativity.

She also appeared as an actress in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Lessons for People of Color

Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space did not let supposed “color” stop her from pursuing her dreams. Out of about 2000 individuals who applied to NASA at the same time she did, only 14 were picked and she was among the 7 who went to space after the disaster of a previous space trip.

As a woman of color, Dr. Mae Jemison has made a remarkable mark and stands as a source of inspiration to others. In her many talks, she has emphasized the need to be better, even the best at whatever a person does, whether as a person of color or not.

Simply put, no amount of setback or challenge should hold you back from pursuing your dreams especially if it will result in benefiting others, the just-considered Mae Jemison facts are proof that this is beneficial. And color is no reason to back down because love is all colors.

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