Mae Carol Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama. The youngest of three children, her mother was an elementary school teacher and her father was a maintenance supervisor. A few years after she was born, Jemison and her family moved to Chicago, Illinois

Jemison was inspired by African American actress Nichelle Nichols who played Lieutenant Uhura on the Star Trek television show. In 1973, she graduated from Morgan Park High School when she was 16 years old. Once she graduated, Jemison left Chicago to attend Stanford University in California. As one of the only African American students. Jemison Graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts degree in African-American studies. 

In 1985 Mae Jemison decided to apply to the NASA astronaut program. She applied in 1985, but after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, NASA took a break from accepting new people. However, Jemison applied again in 1987 and was one of the 15 chosen out of over 2,000 applications.

 She was selected for NASA Astronaut Group 12, which was the first group chosen after the Challenger explosion. After being selected, Jemison trained with NASA and worked on projects at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. She received her first mission on September 28, 1989, when she was selected to join the STS-47 crew as a Mission Specialist.

On September 12, 1992, Jemison and six other astronauts went into space on the space shuttle Endeavor. This voyage made Jemison the first African American woman in space. The team made 127 orbits around the Earth and returned to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 20, 1992. Emison left NASA in 1993 after serving as an astronaut for six years in total. 

She started The Jemison Group, a consulting company encouraging science, technology, and social change. She also began teaching environmental studies at Dartmouth College and directed the Jemison Institute for Advancing Technology in Developing Countries. 

Jemison is a National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine member, and has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, National Medical Association Hall of Fame, and Texas Science Hall of Fame. She has received multiple awards and honorary degrees including the National Organization for Women’s Intrepid Award and the Kilby Science Award. She currently lives in Houston, Texas.

Mae Carol Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama. The youngest of three children, her mother was an elementary school teacher and her father was a maintenance supervisor. A few years after she was born, Jemison and her family moved to Chicago, Illinois

Jemison was inspired by African American actress Nichelle Nichols who played Lieutenant Uhura on the Star Trek television show. In 1973, she graduated from Morgan Park High School when she was 16 years old. Once she graduated, Jemison left Chicago to attend Stanford University in California. As one of the only African American students. Jemison Graduated in 1977 with a bachelor’s degree of Science in Chemical Engineering and a Bachelor of Arts degree in African-American studies. 

In 1985 Mae Jemison decided to apply to the NASA astronaut programShe applied in 1985, but after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, NASA took a break from accepting new people. However, Jemison applied again in 1987 and was one of the 15 chosen out of over 2,000 applications.

 She was selected for NASA Astronaut Group 12, which was the first group chosen after the Challenger explosion. After being selected, Jemison trained with NASA and worked on projects at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. She received her first mission on September 28, 1989, when she was selected to join the STS-47 crew as a Mission Specialist.

On September 12, 1992, Jemison and six other astronauts went into space on the space shuttle Endeavor. This voyage made Jemison the first African American woman in space. The team made 127 orbits around the Earth and returned to the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on September 20, 1992. Emison left NASA in 1993 after serving as an astronaut for six years in total. 

She started The Jemison Group, a consulting company encouraging science, technology, and social change. She also began teaching environmental studies at Dartmouth College and directed the Jemison Institute for Advancing Technology in Developing Countries. 

Jemison is a National Academy of Sciences’ Institute of Medicine member, and has been inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame, National Medical Association Hall of Fame, and Texas Science Hall of Fame. She has received multiple awards and honorary degrees including the National Organization for Women’s Intrepid Award and the Kilby Science Award. She currently lives in Houston, Texas.