Dr. Bernard Harris Jr. is a former NASA astronaut, physician, and entrepreneur. He made history as the first African American to walk in space during the STS-63 mission on February 9, 1995.
Background & Education:
- Born: June 26, 1956, in Temple, Texas
- Education:
- Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Sam Houston State University
- Medical degree (M.D.) from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center
- Completed a residency in internal medicine at the Mayo Clinic
NASA Career & Spacewalk:
- Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1990
- Flew on two space shuttle missions:
- STS-55 (Columbia, 1993)
- STS-63 (Discovery, 1995) – First African American to perform a spacewalk
- Logged over 438 hours in space
Post-NASA Career:
- Founded The Harris Foundation, promoting STEM education for underprivileged students
- Worked in biotechnology and healthcare leadership
- Advocate for space exploration and diversity in STEM fields
