Mae Jemison: Trailblazing Astronaut, Doctor, and Teacher
Space Dreams Every person's life is a collection of stories about their experiences Stories about remarkable people even if they are not well known can inspire us as we think about our own lives What makes someone remarkable Maybe itis their bravery imagination or intelligence Everyone has a different idea of what makes someone remarkable As a child Mae Jemison JEH mih Sun loved to stare at the stars and dreamed of traveling to Mars She grew up to follow those dreams right into space What is a Biography A biography is the story of a persons life We read biographies to learn about a person s experiences and thoughts Biographies can be based on many sources of information Primary sources include a person s own words or pictures Secondary sources include stories from friends family media and research As you read Mae s story think about the qualities she has that helped her achieve her
Bold and Pioneering Mae Jemison is passionate about science and learning In kindergarten she knew she wanted to be a scientist As a young African American she faced many racial barriers to achieving her dreams But she refused to be limited by other people s ideas She is determined daring and confident 2THINK ABOUT IT Do you know someone who is remarkable What qualities do they have that you find remarkable Mae's work is bold and pioneering It inspires others to reach for their own
Reaching for the Stars Mae Jemison was born in Alabama in 1956 She is the youngest of three children Her father was a carpenter and her mother was a teacher Her family moved to Chicago when Mae was three to find better opportunities for education Mae s parents encouraged their children's individual talents and dreams They taught them to believe in themselves and their rights as African Americans 1 TTY TH
Equal Rights Segregation was still practiced when Mae was a child This meant that African Americans were sometimes kept separate from other Americans They could not always use the same restaurants bathrooms buses and schools They did not have the same career opportunities During the Civil Rights Movement in the United States there were many protests to change this As Mae grew older she understood that she deserved the same right to pursue her dreams as every American Y He Civil Rights Movement In the 1950 s and 1960 s African Americans began to protest segregation This became known as the Civil Rights Movement Its goal was to provide equal rights to everyone regardless of their race gender or religion In 1964 the president ot the United States signed a law to ban segregation Civil rights protestors march from Selma to Montgomery Alabama in
