1 Introduction

When you were young, what did you want to be when you grew up? Some children dream about becoming veterinarians or professional athletes (basketball players, soccer players, football players, etc.). Some kids want to be doctors or famous actors. Mae Jemison had a different dream. When she was a child, she wanted to become a scientist and an astronaut.

Mae Jemison was born in 1956. She loved learning about space as a child. In school, she excelled in science and math. She also enjoyed dancing and sports. Her teacher in kindergarten said she could be a nurse when she grew up. Many girls became nurses at this time. But Mae said she didn’t want to be a nurse. She wanted to be a scientist.²

In elementary, middle, and high school, Mae worked hard, joined science clubs, danced, and did sports. She knew being an astronaut was a big dream, but she never gave up. In high school, she graduated a year early.

In 1987, Mae’s dream came true when she became an astronaut at NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration). After a lot of education and training, she became the first African-American woman in space on September 12, 1992. She flew on the space shuttle Endeavour.⁴

Mae Jemison inspired many people because she worked hard and she was determined. Mae’s life was a story of overcoming challenges and making history.