Dr. Jemison was the first Black woman in space, and the first real astronaut to appear on Star Trek. After attending medical school at Cornell University, she worked as a general practitioner, then joined the Peace Corps. She was also a vaccine researcher with the CDC. Inspired by Nichelle Nichols, who played Lieutenant Uhura on Star Trek, she applied to NASA. She was in the first class of astronauts chosen after the explosion of the Challenger. She took a photo of Black aviation pioneer Bessie Coleman (see our Women’s History Day 20 profile) into space when she flew on the shuttle Endeavor in September 1992. She is an advocate for science education, and for getting students of color involved in science. In 1994, she founded the Jemison Group, a company that researches and markets technology for daily life. Dr. Jemison studied modern dance at the Alvin Ailey school, and has choreographed and produced several modern jazz and African dance shows. Dr. Jemison was inspired by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "Too often people paint him like Santa -- smiley and inoffensive," says Jemison. "But when I think of Martin Luther King, I think of attitude, audacity, and bravery."
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