Joan Elizabeth Higginbotham (1964- )

Joan Elizabeth Higginbotham was the third African American woman to go into space. Higginbotham was born on August 3, 1964 in Chicago, Illinois. As a youngster she loved cycling, music, and motivational speaking. She attended Whitney Young Magnet High School in Chicago and graduated in 1982. She … Read MoreJoan Elizabeth Higginbotham (1964- )

Stephanie Diana Wilson (1966- )

Stephanie Diana Wilson is an American NASA astronaut, engineer, and is the second African American woman to go into space, following Mae Jemison. Wilson was born September 27, 1966, in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1984 she graduated from Taconic High School in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and four … Read MoreStephanie Diana Wilson (1966- )

Michael P. Anderson (1959-2003)

Michael P. Anderson, a former Spokane, Washington resident, was one of seven astronauts who died when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during reentry on February 1, 2003. Born on December 25, 1959, in Plattsburgh, New York, to Robert and Barbara Anderson, Michael Anderson had three sisters, … Read MoreMichael P. Anderson (1959-2003)

Guion (Guy) Stewart Bluford Jr. (1942- )

Guy Bluford, a member of the SDS-8 space shuttle Challenger crew in 1983, was the first African American in space. Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bluford was interested in math and science and knew he wanted to work in aerospace engineering before graduating high school. His … Read MoreGuion (Guy) Stewart Bluford Jr. (1942- )