Part of the 3rd Grade East She Persisted Series

Introduction

Have you ever looked up into the stars and dreamed about going up there? Have you ever dreamed about being an astronaut a dancer, or teacher? Well, Mae Jemison is the perfect person to inspire you.

Early years

Mae Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Alabama. She was the youngest of three children. She always loved science. She also watched Apollo space missions on TV. She loved to read and learn. She also experienced segregation in Alabama. This meant she couldn’t do certain things that white people could.

Life as an Adult

Mae went to Stanford University Medical School. In 1983 Mae joined the peace corps. She went to Africa and worked as a doctor. Mae returned to the US in 1987. She was hired by NASA. On September 12, 1992, she traveled to space in a rocket ship called The Endeavor. She became the first African American woman to go to space.

Accomplishments

Mae was the first African American woman to be in the Astronaut training program. She also was the first African American woman to be an astronaut. She was the first African American woman to go to space.

Conclusion

Mae’s story is an inspiration to a lot of people. She persisted when she said she was going to be a scientist but other people didn’t think so. She proved that “you should never let anyone rob you of your imagination, your creativity, or your curiosity.”

“Never limit yourself because of others‘ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination.”

-Mae Jemison