Today In Black History
Dr. Mae Jemison, 1st Black Woman Astronaut in Space
Issue #537 Today In Black History, Tuesday, March 19, 2024
Today’s Black History WOW!
Dr. Mae Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama, and grew up in Chicago, Illinois. At age 16, she enrolled at Stanford University, graduating with degrees in chemical engineering and African-American studies in 1977 before obtaining her medical degree from Cornell University in 1981.
After a short time as a general practitioner with a Los Angeles medical group, she became a medical officer with the Peace Corps. Dr. Jemison was a doctor for the Peace Corps in Liberia and Sierra Leone from 1983 until 1985. There Dr. Jemison managed health care for the Peace Corps and U.S. embassy personnel and worked in conjunction with the National Institutes of Health and the Centers for Disease Control on several research projects, including the development of a hepatitis B vaccine.
In 1987, after returning to the United States, Dr. Jemison applied to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) to be an astronaut. She was 1 of 15 accepted out of 2,000 applicants.
In 1992, Dr. Jemison also became the first African-American woman to travel to space as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Endeavor. Dr. Jemison's mission not only marked a significant milestone for women and people of color in the field of space exploration but also solidified her place in history as a pioneer and role model for future generations of aspiring astronauts.
After leaving NASA, Dr. Jemison went on to pursue a career in education and public service. She founded the Jemison Group, a technology and consulting firm, and has dedicated her efforts to promoting STEM education and encouraging underrepresented groups to pursue careers in science and engineering.
Dr. Jemison also wrote several books for children and appeared on television several times, including in a 1993 episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. She also holds several honorary doctorates and has been inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame.
Today In Black History
- In 1872, Black inventor T.J. Boyd was awarded a patent for an apparatus for detaching horses from carriages.
- In 1883, Black inventor Jan Matzeliger invented the shoe-lasting machine, revolutionizing the shoe industry and making Lynn, Massachusetts the “shoe capital of the world.”
- In 1939, the New Negro Theater was founded in Los Angeles by Langston Hughes.
- In 1975, James B. Parsons became the first African American chief judge of a federal court, the U.S. District Court of Chicago.
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