Black and STEMbruary, Day 9

[justphoenix]

 Ronald E.McNair, PhD

Dr. McNair was one of the astronauts that perished aboard Challenger in 1986. In addition to being an astronaut and physicist, he was a black belt in karate and accomplished saxophonist. Nichelle Nichols (the original Uhura) recruited him to NASA as part of a program to attract women and racial minorities. 

A famous story from McNair's childhood. He grew up in South Carolina, under Jim Crow laws. He tried to check out a book from the local library but was refused based on his race. But the young McNair insisted and refused to leave the library, to the point where the police were called, who told the librarians to let him check out the book. Not ACAB, I guess. 

That library is now named after McNair, as is building 37 at MIT. 

Comments

[shermarama]

This gives me a very weird feeling about time, mainly... It's 35 years since Challenger and that's aaages ago but also this man was only 35 when he died, and look at all the things he did do while alive, including getting through segregation - but then also barring Challenger, he'd probably still be alive today to talk about it all?

(Top stuff that they named the library after him, though.)

[justphoenix]

I feel tired just reading the list of things he accomplished.

[fbhjr]

I’m a big book fan, so having a library named after you seems like a VERY high compliment to me.
Especially in this case.