Dr. Mae Jemison became the first African American woman to go into space when she flew as Mission Science Specialist on a seven day flight aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour in 1992.
Dr. Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama on October 17, 1956 as the landmark bus boycott in Montgomery, the state capital, was reaching its climax. She entered Stanford University at 16 and graduated with a double major holding degrees in African American Studies and Chemical Engineering.
Dr. Jemison is an avid, trained jazz dancer and an accomplished choreographer. In fact, during her senior year in college she was torn between whether to go to New York to medical school or become a professional dancer. Her mother reportedly told her, “You can always dance if you’re a doctor, but you can’t doctor if you’re a dancer.
Dr. Jemison received her medical degree from Cornell University in 1981, and went on to practice medicine as a volunteer in a Cambodian refugee camp and as a medical officer with the Peace Corps in West Africa. Dr. Jemison was working as a general practitioner in Los Angeles, California when NASA selected her for astronaut training.
When LeVar Burton heard that Dr. Jemison was a big Star Trek fan, he asked if she would like to come on the show. In 1993, Dr. Jemison, who had been captivated as a little girl by the sight of Lieutenant Uhuru on the original Star Trek, appeared in the episode “Second Chances” on Star Trek: The Next Generation. Dr. Jemison is, in fact, the only real astronaut ever to have appeared on Star Trek.
Currently she is a member of the Dartmouth Environmental Faculty, and is the head of the Jemison Institute which she founded. Its projects focus on improving healthcare in Africa and advancing technology in developing countries throughout the world. Here are three quotes from Dr. Jemison.
• When I'm asked about the relevance to Black people of what I do, I take that as an affront. It presupposes that Black people have never been involved in exploring the heavens, but this is not so. Ancient African empires -- Mali, Songhai, Egypt -- had scientists, astronomers. The fact is that space and its resources belong to all of us, not to any one group.
• I want to make sure we use all our talent, not just 25 percent.
• Don't let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity. It's your place in the world; it's your life. Go on and do all you can with it, and make it the life you want to live. (Arthur Lewin, Ramsees7@yahoo.com)
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