Mae Carol Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama, on October 17, 1956. She spent her early childhood there before her mother, seeking better opportunities, moved the family to Chicago during the Great Migration. Growing up, her parents, who valued education, took Mae and her siblings to museums like the Museum of Science and Industry and the Field Museum of Natural History, sparking Mae’s love for learning. Once she could read, Mae dove into science books about evolution, dinosaurs, and space.
At eight years old, Mae started taking ballet lessons, which led to a lifelong love of dance. Her family moved from a mostly African American neighborhood to Morgan Park after an incident with a local gang. They were the first Black family on their block in a mostly white area.
Mae was always a top student, excelling in science. She worked on projects about evolution and astronomy, even visiting the Adler Planetarium in Chicago to study the stars. Mae graduated from high school at just 16, always maintaining a spot on the honor roll.
After graduating from high school, Mae Jemison left Chicago to attend Stanford University in California. There, she served as president of the Black Student Union and stayed connected to her love of dance by choreographing a performance called Out of the Shadows, which explored the African American experience. In 1977, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies.
Jemison then went on to Cornell Medical School, where she continued to shine. She led a study for the American Medical Student Association in Cuba, became president of Cornell’s chapter of the Student National Medical Association, and helped organize regional health fairs. She also worked at a Cambodian refugee camp in Thailand. In 1981, she earned her Doctorate in Medicine. After medical school, Jemison interned at the Los Angeles County Medical Center and later worked as a general practitioner.
On June 18, 1983, Sally Ride became the first American woman in space, sparking Mae Jemison’s childhood dream of space exploration. Inspired, Jemison applied to NASA’s astronaut program in 1985. But after the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in 1986, the program was put on hold. She reapplied in 1987 and was one of 15 selected out of over 2,000 applicants to join NASA Astronaut Group 12.
Jemison’s first mission came in 1992, when she was assigned to the STS-47 crew aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. On September 12, 1992, Jemison made history as the first African American woman to go to space. During her mission, called Spacelab J, she conducted over 44 experiments on everything from biotechnology to fluid dynamics, using the unique microgravity environment. The mission also studied various life sciences, including human health and animal behavior in space. The crew completed 127 orbits of Earth before safely returning to Florida on September 20, 1992.
Jemison continued working for NASA for six years before leaving in 1993. Now living in Houston, Texas, she remains committed to her belief that everyone should have equal access to the planet’s resources and that the best solutions come from a diverse range of perspectives. She continues to inspire people of all ages to aim high and pursue their dreams.
