Throughout history, no matter the culture or the period of time occurring, people’s fascination with space and the potential of exploring the great beyond has always been present. However while for most this may remain but a daydream, others have accomplished the once-impossible by actually venturing into space and legitimizing the endless possibilities humans are capable of. This article focuses on one such figure who not only stands out for her occupation as an astronaut but also for her historical standing as the first black woman to ever go to space. This week’s spotlight- Mae C. Jemison. 

Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama as the youngest child in a family of five. Charlie Jemison, her father, was very skilled in craftsmanship and held a career as both a roofer and carpenter while her mother, Dorothy Green, would work as an elementary school teacher. While Jemison was three and the civil rights movement remained especially prevalent in the deeply segregated Alabama, the Jemison family decided to pack their bags and move to Chicago to take hold of better educational opportunities. Here, Mae C. Jemison’s brilliance began to expose itself as she readily flourished in science, with a particular interest in astronomy.

The combination of both iron-steel determination, undeterrable intelligence and a boundless curiosity would all help carry Jemison accomplishing many things. After graduating from high school with all A’s, she would be accepted into Stanford on a National Achievement Scholarship. It wasn’t all textbooks and quizzes though; Jemison made sure to enjoy the cultural aspects of student life through her involvement in the Black Student Union, dance and theatre. Once she succeeded in achieving a Bachelor in Science degree in chemical engineering, Mae C. Jemison would take the pathway into the medical field where she graduated from Cornell Medical College before serving as a general practitioner and then eventually being a Peace Corps medical officer for Liberia. (Biography) However it wasn’t long before that itch to travel the cosmos returned, allowing Jemison to realize her biggest passion was to be aboard a rocketship.

Jemison’s wish would be granted when she, along with six others, would travel to starry sky aboard the Endeavour on September 12, 1992- making Mae C. Jemison the first African-American woman to ever go to space. Such an astounding accomplishment was only made possible in consequence to her previous achievement as being the first African American woman to even be admitted into the NASA astronaut training program where she would vigorously train for over a year before her departure from earth. For eight days, the Endeavour view would conduct experiences and observe the results along with the spectacular sights to behold, all the while turning a new chapter in history for the black community.

At 64 and looking younger than ever, Mae C. Jemison currently lives in Houston, Texas, along with her two cats named Sneeze and Little Mama. Jemison’s story continues to be a tale of utmost inspiration for people across the globe. It is the story of how a little black girl born into a state drowning in segregation laws and the most vicious sentiments of racism could one day do