Dates: October 17, 1956
Occupation: astronaut
Mae Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama on October 17, 1956, but was raised in Chicago, Illinois. In 1977, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemical Engineering from Stanford University. She also earned a Bachelor of Arts in African American Studies. After graduation, Jemison went on to attend medical school at Cornell University. While there she traveled to Cuba, Kenya, and Thailand to provide residents with medical care. In 1981, she earned a Doctor of Medicine degree from Cornell University.
Mae Jemison Becomes a Doctor
After graduation, from 1983 to 1985, Jemison served in the Peace Corps as a medical officer. She served in Sierra Leone and Liberia. Her duties included providing medical care, supervising the pharmacy, laboratory, and medical staff, and she wrote self-care manuals.After her service in the Peace Corps, Jemison began working for CIGNA Health Plans of California as a general practitioner in Los Angeles, California. While practicing, Jemison applied for admission to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) astronaut program. Her 1987 application was accepted.
Jemison Becomes an Astronaut
In 1988, upon Jemison’s completion of the astronaut training program, she became the first black female astronaut. On September 12, 1992, Jemison became the first African American woman to go into space. On Jemison’s mission she served as a Science Mission Specialist on Space Lab J. This was a joint operation between United States and Japan.In addition to being an astronaut, Jemison has been active in other areas of science. She is the founder the Jemison Group, Inc. a Houston, Texas based research group. Additionally, she serves as a host and technical consultant to the Discovery series, “World of Wonders.”
