Mae Carol Jemison (born October 17, 1956) is an American astronaut. She graduated with the class of 1973 from Morgan Park High School in Chicago, Illinois. As a high school student, Jemison participated in the science fair, was a gym leader, pom-pom girl, honor society officer, and a member of Modern Dance and the Russian Club. She also served on both the local and inter-school Student Council. Her future goals were to go to Stanford University, which she did after graduating high school at age 16, eventually becoming a physician. In 1992, Jemison went on to become the first African-American woman to journey into space where she spent nearly 200 hours.
Awards:
- Elizabeth Blackwell Medal, 1977
- NASA Space Flight Medal, 1992
- National Women’s Hall of Fame, 1993
Source: Wikipedia