2003 — First African American NASA Astronaut Joins the ISS Crew (Leland Melvin)

On May 8, 2003, Leland Melvin was officially assigned to the International Space Station (ISS) mission training program. Melvin, an accomplished engineer and athlete, became one of the few African Americans to fly in space. His later missions aboard Space Shuttle Atlantis helped expand ISS modules critical for international scientific collaboration. Melvin’s journey symbolized the expanding frontiers of Black excellence into fields of space exploration once closed to people of color, inspiring a new generation of STEM leaders.