Maj. Robert H. Lawrence’s life was tragically cut short just months after he made history. After being named the first Black astronaut by the U.S. Air Force in June 1967, Lawrence died in a plane crash in December of that year just ahead of a possible journey to the stars.
Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. was born on this day in 1935 in Chicago. He graduated from Bradley University with a degree in chemistry at the age of 20, After joining the Air Force ROTC, he became an Air Force pilot at 21, In 1965, he earned his doctorate in Physical Chemistry from Ohio State University.
As a pilot, Lawrence logged thousands of flight hours and in 1967, the Air Force selected him for the Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) program, thus making the Omega Psi Phi man the nation’s first Black astronaut. Of his appointment, Lawrence said, “This is nothing dramatic. It’s just a normal progression. I’ve been very fortunate.” (READ MORE)
