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Mae Carol Jemison was born in a small town called Decatur in Alabama on October 17, 1956. She had a close-knit family that included her parents and two older siblings. Her father’s name was Charles. He worked as a carpenter at a nonprofit organization. Her mother’s name was Dorothy. She worked as an elementary school teacher. She taught English and math. Her older sister’s name is Ada and her brother’s names is Charles Jr.³.

Education was very important to her family. When Mae was very young her family moved from Alabama to Chicago, Illinois. They moved when she was just three years old. Mae calls Chicago her hometown because that is where she grew up.

Chicago is a very big city with many schools, universities, industries (factories/manufacturing, meatpacking, financial, transportation), and jobs³. They moved there for more opportunities for Mae and her sibling’s education. They also moved there for better jobs for her parents.

Mae’s education in Chicago helped her start on the path to becoming an astronaut. It was in Chicago, her passion for science and space grew. She loved to visit Chicago’s Museum of Science and Industry. She often spent time after school or on the weekend at the museum learning about space and science. She also read astronomy books. She enjoyed reading about Neil Armstrong and his trip to the Moon³.