In the Spirit of Ronald E. McNair Astronaut: An American Hero

Born and reared in a small town in rural segregated South Carolina, he did not let poverty or the color of his skin stand between him and his goal of becoming an astronaut. Ronald McNair, Ph.D., was the first civilian African-American astronaut, and one of seven courageous astronauts who gave their lives while serving our country aboard the ill-fated Space Shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986.