I have the opportunity to visit a lot of young students. I always ask them the same question: "Who can tell me who Dr. Ron McNair was?" I would say that only one in ten knows. I once heard astronaut Mae Jemison say that we must emphasize science and especially math to our young black students. I thought of Dr. McNair.
Ronald E. McNair was born in Lake City, South Carolina on 21 October 1950. His was a poor family in the segregated south. Ron excelled at school, he had a black belt in karate, was a great saxophone player, and had a love for math and science. In June of 1971, McNair received a Bachelor of Science degree from North Carolina A&T.; From there he went on to Cambridge, Massachusetts to attend MIT. At the age of 26, McNair recieves a PhD in physics and took a job with Hughes Research Laboratories in Califonia. He also marries his sweetheart Cheryl Moore. I don't know when he became interested in being an astronaut, but he submitted an application and was accepted.
Another astronaut in the same training class as Dr. McNair, Guion S. Bluford, was to make history by becoming the first black man to go into space. Dr. McNair was the second. His first flight was also aboard the Challenger.
Dr.Ronald Erwin McNair is one of my heroes because he can be held up to young people everywhere as an example of how it should be done. We don't know what other contributions this brilliant man would have made had his life not been cut short. I know he touched my life. I will hold him up as an example to my two boys.
I was in my dorm room at Loring Air Force Base on the morning of 28 January 1986. I had only heard about Dr. McNair in connection with him being on "the teacher's crew". I cried for seven lives lost while their loved ones watched. For the students of America's "first space teacher". For all of us.
Dr. Ronald E. McNair was "black like me". But, much more, he was human like us all. His example of academic excellence should be spotlighted much more than it is. Every child should know his name.
by Eddy Lafond
