Mae Jemison is a doctor and a NASA astronaut. She was the first Black woman to travel in space when she went into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle ENDEAVOR on September 12, 1992.
After graduating from Chicago's Morgan Park High School in 1973, she went on to Stanford University at the tender age of 16.
She graduated from Stanford in 1977 and received a B.S. degree in chemical engineering, as well as fulfilling the requirements for a B.A. in (African) Afro-American studies.
In 1981 Jemison obtained a Doctor of Medicine degree from Cornell Medical College. She did her internship at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center, and later worked as a general practitioner in the California area.
After completing her medical training, Jemison volunteered as a Medical Officer in the Peace Corps, where she worked in Liberia and the Sierra Leone in Africa from 1983-85.
In 1987 Jemison applied for the astronaut program at NASA and was accepted.
As a Mission Specialist on STS-47, she flew her only mission in outer space in 1992, becoming the first Black woman to do so. She spent 8 days in space on a research mission with five other NASA astronauts. In all, Jemison logged 190 hours, 30 minutes, and 23 seconds in outer space.
Jamison took several items into orbit with her, a few small art objects from West African countries to symbolize that space belongs to all nations, a poster of the Alvin Ailey Dance Company to indicate the connection between science and dance, and most notably, a picture of Bessie Coleman, the first Black woman to ever fly an airplane .
Jemison is currently an active public speaker who promotes science and technology, as well as providing inspirational and educational messages for young people.
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To read about her life and career, Google-search her name and hang on for an incredible ride!
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