November 22, 1942:
On this day, the first Black person to ever go into outer space was born.
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr., Ph.D. (born November 22, 1942), (Col, USAF, Ret.), is an American aerospace engineer, retired U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot, and former NASA astronaut, who is the first African American[1][2][a] and the second person of African descent to go to space. Before becoming an astronaut, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force, where he remained while assigned to NASA, rising to the rank of colonel. He participated in four Space Shuttle flights between 1983 and 1992. In 1983, as a member of the crew of the Orbiter Challenger on the mission STS-8, he became the first African American in space.
Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Bluford graduated from Overbrook High School in 1960. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1964, a Master of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 1974, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in Laser Physics, again from AFIT, in 1978, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston–Clear Lake in 1987.[4] He has also attended the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.[citation needed]
His hobbies include reading, swimming, jogging, racquetball, handball, scuba diving and golf.[5] He married Linda Tull in 1964 and has two sons, Guion III and James.
Awards and honors
- USAF Command Pilot Astronaut Wings (1983)[5]
- Defense Superior Service Medal (1984)[5]
- Legion of Merit (1993)[5]
- three Defense Meritorious Service Medals (1986, 1992 and 1993)[5]
- Air Force Meritorious Service Medal (1978)[5]
- ten Air Force Air Medals (1967)[5]
- Air Force Commendation Medal (1972)[5]
- three Air Force Outstanding Unit Awards (1967, 1970 and 1972)[5]
- National Intelligence Medal of Achievement (1993)[5]
- National Defense Service Medal (1965)[5]
- Vietnam Service Medal (1967)[5]
- Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Palm (1967)[5]
- Vietnam Campaign Medal (1967)[5]
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1994)[5]
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1992)[5]
- four NASA Group Achievement Awards (1980,[12] 1981,[12] 1989, and 2003)[5]
- NASA Space Flight Medals (1983, 1985, 1991 and 1992)[5]
- German Air Force (Luftwaffe) Aviation Badge from the Federal Republic of West Germany (1969)[5]
- Leadership Award of Phi Delta Kappa (1962)[5]
- T-38 Instructor Pilot of the Month (1970)[5]
- Air Training Command Outstanding Flight Safety Award (1970)[5]
- Air Force Institute of Technology’s Mervin E. Gross Award (1974)[5]
- Who’s Who Among Black Americans (1975 to 1977)[5]
- National Society of Black Engineers Distinguished National Scientist Award (1979)[5]
- Pennsylvania State University Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumni Award (1983),[5] the Alumni Fellows Award (1986)[5]
- Ebony Black Achievement Award (1983)[5]
- NAACP Image Award (1983)[13]
- City of Philadelphia’s Philadelphia Bowl (1983)[5]
- Who’s Who in America (1983 to present)[5]
- Pennsylvania Distinguished Service Medal (1984)[5]
- New York City Urban League‘s Whitney Young Memorial Award[5]
- 1991 Black Engineer of the Year Award[14]
- Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) V. M. Komarov Diploma (1993)[5]
- International Space Hall of Fame inductee (1997)[15][16]
- U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame inductee (2010)[17][18]
- Air Force Institute of Technology Distinguished Alumni Award (2002)[5]
- University of Houston-Clear Lake Distinguished Alumni Award (2003)[5]
- The Pennsylvania Society Gold Medal (2011)[19]
- He also received honorary doctorate degrees from Florida A&M University,[20] Texas Southern University, Virginia State University, Morgan State University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Tuskegee Institute, Bowie State College, Thomas Jefferson University, Chicago State University, Georgian Court University, Drexel University, Kent State University, Central State University and the University of the Sciences.[5]
Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West, a Middle/High School in Baltimore, Maryland, is named in his honor (along with Charles Drew and Mae Jemison).
On July 25, 2017, the Philadelphia Orchestra premiered Hold Fast to Dreams, a 25-minute piece for orchestra and choir in four movements, commissioned by the Mann Center for the Performing Arts in honor of Bluford, and written by composer Nolan Williams Jr.
