When NASA reviewed 2,000 astronaut applications in 1987, only 15 people were selected. Among them was a 31-year-old doctor who had just a few years earlier been vaccinating people in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Mae Jemison did not fit any traditional mold—and that’s precisely why she became the first Black American woman in space.
The Child Who Read Everything About the Stars
She was born in Alabama in 1956 but grew up in Chicago, where her family moved when she was three. Her uncle introduced her to the world of science—and clearly did so very effectively, as young Mae devoured books on astronomy, anthropology, archaeology, and evolution at the same time. It’s hard to say whether she already planned a space career, or if she was simply interested in literally everything.
In high school, she became fascinated by biomedical engineering, which sounds like a natural path for someone with such a broad range of interests. She was accepted by Stanford at age 16 and graduated at 20 with two degrees simultaneously—one in chemical engineering, and the other in African and African-American studies.
Such a combination says more about her character than any résumé ever could.
From Refugee Camp to the African Bush
Instead of aiming for NASA right away, Jemison chose medicine and in the most practical way. While studying at Cornell, she spent a summer in a Thai camp for Cambodian refugees and later traveled to Kenya. She earned her medical degree in 1981, but the quiet life in Los Angeles soon bored her.
In 1983, she joined the Peace Corps as a medical officer in West Africa. For two and a half years, she managed healthcare for American staff in Sierra Leone and Liberia while also collaborating with the National Institutes of Health on research into a hepatitis B vaccine. Most people would see this as the zenith of a career. She, however, decided to apply to NASA.
Seven Days That Changed the Statistics
NASA’s recruitment process is a bit like an audition for the world’s most exclusive club. Out of 2,000 candidates in 1987, only 15 were selected, and Jemison got in on her first try. After a year of training, she became a mission specialist and spent several years helping prepare space shuttles for launches and verifying their software.
In September 1992, she launched aboard the Endeavour shuttle as part of the STS-47 Spacelab J mission—the first US-Japan joint space mission. She spent 190 hours, 30 minutes, and 23 seconds in orbit, conducting materials processing and life sciences experiments. That may sound dry, but in practice, it meant a Black woman from Chicago had just made history in space flights.
What Does an Astronaut Do After Returning to Earth?
Jemison left NASA on March 8, 1993—exactly on International Women’s Day, though it was probably just a coincidence. Since then, she has earned two honorary doctorates and received the Universal Astronaut Insignia from the Association of Space Explorers. But the badge itself is just a symbol.
The real story of Mae Jemison isn’t that she was the first. It’s that even before thinking about space, she achieved more than most people do in a lifetime. And then she went to space too—why not?
Marcus Renfell
Marcus Renfell is a historian driven by curiosity and passion. He refuses to accept the “safe,” polished versions of the past. Instead, he brings forgotten, overlooked, and distorted stories back to life. His work blends scholarly precision with the art of storytelling, turning historical narratives into vivid, page-turning experiences.
His mission is simple: to prove that history can be gripping, alive, and deeply personal.
His debut book: Women of Science. Stories You Were Never Told
In his first publication, Marcus Renfell shines a light on the remarkable women who shaped the world of science — both the pioneers whose names we know and the brilliant minds history forgot. It’s an inspiring journey through untold stories, groundbreaking achievements, and the resilience of women who changed our understanding of the world.
? Discover Women of Science. Stories You Were Never Toldon Amazon.com.