| Guion “Guy” Bluford made his dreams of flying among the stars a reality on this day in 1983, becoming the first African-American astronaut in space. Bluford logged well over 600 hours in space before retiring, and still managed to accomplish goals even beyond his historic achievement. Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. was born November 22, 1942 in Philadelphia. Education was central in the Bluford household. After graduating from Pennsylvania State University in 1964 with a degree in Aerospace Engineering, the U.S. Air Force ROTC member then entered the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology. From AFIT, Bluford earned both a master’s and Ph. D in the same discipline as his undergraduate degree. (READ MORE) |
