Mae Jemison

Obama Presidential Center Honoree

Mae Jemison

Space Name: Imagine Your Impact, in honor of Mae Jemison | Museum | Level 5 

Physician, educator, engineer, former NASA astronaut, and former Chicagoan, Mae Jemison broke barriers aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour as the first Black woman to travel into space. Continuing her dedication to discovery, Jemison has headed a project to enable interstellar travel in the next 100 years. By advocating for science education for students around the world, she ensures that the spirit of curiosity will endure for generations to come.

With gratitude to Exelon

Legacy on Campus

  • Imagine Your Impact, in honor of Mae Jemison

    Learn how individual actions combine to impact our collective future at our Imagine Your Impact exhibition. The Exhibition explores the successes of figures such as Mae Jemison whose work lay the groundwork for progress. 

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  • Futures Series

    Discover our series designed to help young people explore professional opportunities ranging from entrepreneurship to sports, and journalism to engineering. 

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“ As the first African American woman to travel to space, Mae Jemison encourages us all to aspire to spaces where no-one like you may have gone before. A physician and engineer as well as an astronaut, Dr. Jemison is an inspiration to young people to pursue careers in STEM, a pursuit Exelon supports through programs including our STEM Academies.”

–Calvin G. Butler, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Exelon

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The Barack Obama Foundation is registered as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization (EIN 46-4950751).

John Lewis

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Through the honoree naming initiative at the Obama Presidential Center, we are partnering with our donors to celebrate a part of the history in which the Obama story is so deeply rooted by associating a named space with a hero, moment, or person "on whose shoulders we stand"—an honoree who made the Obamas’ story possible.

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