Mae Jemison, 1956-Present
Mae Jemison, 1956-Present
Dr. Mae Jemison is a doctor, engineer, and NASA astronaut. Born in Alabama, Jemison’s family moved to Chicago when she was three years old to seek better educational opportunities. While at Stanford University, Jemison led the Black Student Union and rounded out her studies with dance and theater productions. Graduating in 1977, Jemison received degrees both in Chemical Engineering and African-American studies. Fluent in Russian, Japanese, & Swahili, Jemison’s time in medical school and career in medicine included studies and work in Cuba, Kenya, Thailand, in addition to two years as a medical officer in the Peace Corps serving in Sierra Leone and Liberia. In 1985 Jemison made a career change, following her dream to become an astronaut. When Jemison flew into space aboard the Endeavour spacecraft in 1992, she became the first Black woman in space. During her eight days of orbiting the Earth, Jemison conducted experiments on weightlessness and motion sickness. Following her mission, she noted that society should recognize how much both women and people of color can contribute if given the opportunity.
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