The year 1955 marked the beginning of what we know today as The Race for Space. What started as a contest for power between the US and USSR, rooted in Red Scare paranoia, somehow developed into scientific (and even cultural, as will be discussed in this essay) advancements that propelled us into the final frontier; space. Why else was this year important, though? Well, it was one year before this paper’s hero, Mae Jemison was born. Mae Jemison became the first black female in space in the year 1992 aboard the Endeavor, at the age of 36. It is certainly impressive, but is she really a hero? Well, the dictionary definition of hero denotes “a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities.” I believe she fits this mold. Though she may not be the first choice for everyone, I believe Mae Jemison is a hero to many through her determination and courage to pursue what she enjoyed, even though she grew up in a time where the odds seemed to be against her.
From childhood, Mae Jemison had always been persistent, with a drive to pursue her dreams and what she believed was right, even in the face of adversity or doubt from others. Today, this wouldn’t be viewed as odd, but Jemison grew up in a time where black Americans, especially girls and women, were viewed as less capable, or even inferior. One example of this she experienced was in elementary. When students were asked what they wanted to be when they grew up, she responded confidently that she was going to become a scientist. Her teacher corrected her, asking if she meant a nurse instead, but Jemison stood proudly behind her answer. Though this happened many years from what she is best known for, it still holds up as a display of her unwillingness to back down(Gelletly LeeAnne, 21).
As was mentioned before, Jemison grew up during a turbulent time in America’s history. It was the rise of the Civil Rights Movement, where many protesters, peaceful and violent, took to the streets to express their discontent with the mistreatment of minorities in the US. Though her experience was better than many like her, Jemison still experienced this in her childhood. When Mae was only 11 years old, her hometown of Chicago, Illinois was wrecked during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. Buildings were being robbed and burned in her own neighborhood. After this, a curfew was implemented and even members of the National Guard were stationed there. It was terrifying to see such destruction, but even worse, there were men with military rifles patrolling her very own town. At that moment, she promised to “never again be frightened by the events of her world” and to “help [the] country to fulfill its promise”(Gelletly LeeAnne, 27-29).
On September 12th, 1992, mission STS-47, or the Endeavour, Jemison’s first flight, was successfully launched. The crew was in space for three days before returning to Earth. Jemison participated in experiments to measure how humans responded to spaceflight. Despite the flight not taking place until 1992, Jemison was being talked about back to when she was first accepted in NASA. Jemison was the first black female to be accepted into ASCANs, an astronaut training program[a bit close to original wording, maybe rephrase later?](Gelletly LeeAnne, 59), and was getting interviews left and right. It’s obvious Jemison is most well known for being the first female black astronaut, but she has continued to contribute to science and the youth of today before and after NASA. In 1979, while at Cornell University Medical College, she has worked multiple times to provide medical care for people living in the remote areas of East Africa(Gelletly LeeAnne, 42). After college, Jemison spent time working as a Peace Corps. volunteer in Africa, in countries like Sierra Leone and Liberia. Then, in 1993, she officially left NASA, but she then created her own company, the Jemison Group, to inspire students to learn about science. Even if she’s no longer an astronaut, she continues to positively impact the world by inspiring a love of science in others and helping those who are less privileged(Redd Noah Taylor).
Despite growing up in adverse times, Mae still made something of herself. Overcoming prejudice then is what leads to the changes we enjoy now. Even though things in America have improved a lot since Jemison’s childhood, there are still people in America and across the world suffering because they’re too afraid to speak out and follow their dreams, but Mae Jemison is one of the many people to show us that’s possible. Even though things in America have improved a lot since Jemison’s childhood, there are still people in America and across the world suffering because they’re too afraid to speak out and follow their dreams, but Mae Jemison is one of the many people to show us that’s possible. Even now, she tries to encourage a love for science and has created an international science camp for high-schoolers(Redd Noah Taylor).
In closing, I believe Mae Jemison is a hero. Even though the word hero may invoke someone with superhuman ability, a hero is anyone with ‘noble qualities’ or ‘outstanding achievements’. She is more than just an astronaut, she is a humanitarian and role model who was never afraid to speak her mind and to make things right in the world. She continues to contribute to society by instilling a love of science in a younger generation and helps people who need it.
