MAE JAMISON
Blast Off with Mae Jemison: A Star Among Us!
Who was this hero?
Mae C. Jemison is an amazing engineer, doctor, and former NASA astronaut who made history as the first African American woman to travel into space. She orbited Earth aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour, inspiring countless people to reach for the stars.
📖The Full Story
Mae Carol Jemison was born in Alabama in 1956, but her family soon moved to Chicago, Illinois, seeking better educational opportunities. From a young age, Mae was super curious about the world and loved learning about science, especially stars and planets. Her parents always encouraged her to explore her interests, even if some teachers didn't always understand her big dreams. She was also a talented dancer and loved performing! Mae was so smart that she graduated from high school when she was only 16 years old. She then went to Stanford University, where she studied chemical engineering and African and African-American studies, and later earned her medical degree from Cornell University. Before becoming an astronaut, she even used her medical skills to help people in the Peace Corps in countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia! Mae's biggest dream was to go to space, and she worked incredibly hard to make it happen. In 1987, she was chosen by NASA to join their astronaut training program, becoming the first African American woman ever admitted! After years of training, her dream came true on September 12, 1992, when she launched into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. As a science mission specialist, she conducted exciting experiments during her eight days orbiting Earth, spending over 190 hours in space! Mae's journey showed everyone that with determination and a love for learning, you can achieve anything, even touch the stars.
Did You Know? 🌟
1Mae loved the TV show "Star Trek" as a kid and even appeared on an episode of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" after her space flight! She would even start her shifts in space by saying, "Hailing frequencies open."
2Besides being a doctor and an astronaut, Mae is also a talented dancer and even considered becoming a professional dancer before choosing medicine!
3When Mae went to space, she brought special items with her, including a poster from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, a West African statue, and a photo of Bessie Coleman, the first African American woman to get a pilot's license!
