Decatur native Mae Jemison is a physician and former astronaut who became the first African American woman to go into space. Jemison was chosen as one of 15 candidates from a pool of more than 2,000 applicants to join the NASA astronaut training program and became the first African American woman in the program. On September 12, 1992, Jemison and six other astronauts, including fellow Alabama native Jan Davis, flew into space onboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. The first astronaut with the title of Science Mission Specialist, Jemison was responsible for conducting crew-related scientific experiments. On her only mission in space, she logged 190 hours, 30 minutes, and 23 seconds in space. Jemison has received numerous awards and honors, including election to the National Women’s Hall of Fame and the International Space Hall of Fame. Opened in 2016, the Dr. Mae Jemison High School in Huntsville was named in her honor.
