If you’re searching for the date of Mae Jemison’s death, I have some fantastic news for you: she is very much alive.
Honestly, it’s one of those weird internet phenomena. People see "Mae Jemison birth and death" trending or populating in search bars and assume the worst. But as of early 2026, the first Black woman to travel into space is not only alive but still actively pushing the boundaries of what humans can achieve. She’s currently 69 years old and arguably busier than most people half her age.
The confusion might stem from a few things. Maybe it’s the passing of other space icons, or perhaps it’s just the way we talk about historical figures in the past tense once they leave NASA. Whatever the reason, let’s set the record straight on her beginnings and what she’s actually up to right now.
The Real Story of Mae Jemison’s Birth
Mae Carol Jemison entered the world on October 17, 1956.
She wasn't born in a big city, but in Decatur, Alabama. Her mom, Dorothy, was an elementary school teacher, and her dad, Charlie, was a maintenance supervisor. They didn't stay in Alabama long, though. When Mae was only three, the family packed up and moved to Chicago.
That move was intentional. Her parents wanted better educational opportunities for their kids, and Chicago became the place Mae truly considers her hometown.
Growing up on the South Side in the '60s was intense. You've got the Civil Rights Movement exploding outside the front door and the Apollo missions playing out on the television. For a young Mae, these weren't separate worlds. She looked at the TV and saw a glaring lack of people who looked like her going into space, but instead of feeling excluded, she felt annoyed.
She once famously said that during the Apollo missions, she just assumed she’d be going to space eventually. It wasn't a "maybe" for her; it was a "when."
A Kid Who Refused to "Pick a Lane"
In kindergarten, Mae told her teacher she wanted to be a scientist. The teacher’s response? "Don’t you mean a nurse?"
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Mae’s response was a flat "No."
She was always like that. Super headstrong. By the time she was a teenager, she wasn't just obsessed with science; she was a serious dancer. We’re talking professional-level jazz and African dance. She actually struggled with the decision of whether to go to New York to become a professional dancer or go to medical school.
Her mom eventually gave her some of the best advice ever: "You can always dance if you're a doctor, but you can't doctor if you're a dancer."
Why the "Death" Searches?
It’s kind of morbid, but "birth and death" is a standard search string for historical figures. Because Mae Jemison is a "first"—the first African American woman in space—she’s often grouped in textbooks with figures from the early 20th century.
When kids (or adults) see her name alongside people like Harriet Tubman or Rosa Parks, there’s a subconscious assumption that she must be part of the past.
But Mae Jemison is very much part of the future.
After her historic 1992 flight on the Space Shuttle Endeavour (STS-47), where she conducted experiments on bone cells and frog fertilization, she didn't just retire to a porch. She left NASA in 1993, which was a bit of a shock to the agency at the time. She wanted to use her platform to bridge the gap between social sciences and hard technology.
What She’s Doing in 2026
If you want to know what "life" looks like for Dr. Jemison today, look at the 100 Year Starship (100YSS) initiative.
Basically, she’s leading a global project funded by DARPA to make sure that the capability for human interstellar travel—actually going to another star system—exists within the next century. She isn't just dreaming about sci-fi; she’s looking at the "hard" problems:
- How do we sustain human life for decades in a vacuum?
- What kind of energy sources do we need that don't even exist yet?
- How does a society function when it’s totally cut off from Earth?
She also runs the Dorothy Jemison Foundation for Excellence, named after her mother. They do this incredible international science camp called "The Earth We Share" (TEWS), where kids work on solving global problems. She’s still a massive advocate for science literacy, especially for girls and minorities who are still being told—just like her kindergarten teacher told her—to "aim a little lower."
A Legacy That’s Still Growing
The reason we talk about her so much isn't just because she sat on a rocket. It’s because of the way she did it.
When she went into space, she took objects with her that represented her identity: a poster from the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and a statue from the Bundu society in Sierra Leone. She wanted to prove that space belongs to everyone—not just the "technicians," but the artists and the dreamers, too.
She even showed up on Star Trek: The Next Generation in 1993, playing Lieutenant Palmer. She was the first real-life astronaut to appear on the show. For her, that was full circle. She grew up watching Nichelle Nichols as Lieutenant Uhura, and that representation was the "permission" she needed to believe she belonged in the stars.
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Clearing Up the Timeline
To keep it simple and factual, here is the timeline that matters:
- October 17, 1956: Born in Decatur, Alabama.
- 1973: Graduated high school at 16 and headed to Stanford.
- 1977: Earned degrees in Chemical Engineering and African American Studies.
- 1981: Graduated from Cornell Medical College.
- 1983-1985: Served as a Peace Corps Medical Officer in Sierra Leone and Liberia.
- 1987: Selected for NASA’s Astronaut Group 12.
- September 12, 1992: Launched into space on STS-47.
- 1993–Present: Entrepreneur, educator, and leader of 100 Year Starship.
How to Follow Her Work
Don't wait for a headline to learn about Mae Jemison. She’s an active public speaker and often features in documentaries about the future of tech.
If you're looking for actionable ways to engage with her legacy, check out the 100 Year Starship website to see their latest symposiums. Or, if you have kids, look into the Dorothy Jemison Foundation’s programs.
She’s a living testament to the idea that you don't have to choose between being a scientist and an artist. You can be both. You can be a doctor, a dancer, a linguist (she speaks Russian, Swahili, and Japanese, by the way), and an astronaut.
So, the next time someone asks about Mae Jemison’s birth and death, you can tell them the most important part: she’s still here, and she’s still looking up.
Key Insight for Researchers: When looking for Dr. Jemison's current work, search for "Jemison Group" or "100 Year Starship updates." This will give you the most recent primary source information on her projects rather than outdated biographical summaries.