In 1982, astronauts Sally K. Ride and Guion S. Bluford, Jr. became the first woman and first African-American to be tapped for U.S. space missions.

CNN: Friday,

Here was the leader who is responsible for inspiring the recruitment of Sally K. Ride, the first American woman in space, Judith A. Resnik, another of the first U.S. female astronauts, Mae Jemison, the first African-African-American female astronaut and the first African-African American male astronauts, Guion Bluford and Ronald McNair.

FORBES: NASA, Got Space Exploration? Get Goals, Get Funding and Get Uhura.