A love of astronomy leads to an historic trip in orbit.

Mae Jemison was born in Decatur, Alabama, but she calls Chicago her hometown.

It was in Chicago that her uncle introduced her to the world of science, a love that eventually led her to Cornell University where she graduated with a degree in medicine.

Years later, Jemison decided to make a major career change, following a dream of gaining admission to NASA’s astronaut training program.

In 1987, a year after the Challenger disaster, Jemison was one of 15 new candidates chosen by NASA — becoming the first African American woman ever admitted into the astronaut training program.

After more than a year of training, she made her first space shuttle flight on September 12, 1992, aboard Endeavour.

Dr. Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space, today’s moment in Black history.