Mae C. Jemison

Mae Jemison sealed her place in history in September 1992 when she became the first black woman to travel into space. She left NASA the following year, but in the 30 years since then, she has retained a high public profile thanks to a diverse career that has seen her found a consultancy company, work as a professor of environmental studies, write books, and become one of the principal figures behind the 100 Year Starship project (which looked into the possibilities of making interstellar travel a reality within a century). She has also received many awards and accolades and has been included in many “Greatest Women” and “Greatest African-American” lists. She is an inductee of both the International Space Hall of Fame and National Women’s Hall of Fame.

Born in Alabama in 1956, Jemison became fascinated by space as a child after becoming an avid fan of Star Trek (she would later appear in an episode of the show). She went on to study chemical engineering at Stanford but was also a passionate and talented dancer and almost pursued a career in entertainment. Ultimately, she joined the Peace Corps, working in Liberia and Sierra Leone. However, space still fascinated her, and in 1985, she first applied to NASA to become an astronaut. She was accepted in 1987 and went into space for the first and only time in September 1992, working as a mission specialist on an eight-day expedition.

Jemison’s decision to retire from NASA in 1993 stunned some, but Jemison felt that she had more important work to do here on Earth. And she has spent the last 30 years doing it with just as much dedication as she showed to her historic space career.