Medical Doctor Mae Carol Jemison , Astronaut ( born 17 October 1956 ) became the first African-American woman to enter space when she served on the crew of the Space Shuttle Endeavor in September 1992 . She became the first African American woman to travel in space when she went into orbit aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour on September 12 , 1992 . Mae Carol Jemison was born in Decatur , Alabama , the youngest child of Charlie Jemison and Dorothy Green .