Black History Month: Dr. Bernard Harris, Jr. celebrates the 25th anniversary of his historic spacewalk

He’s a living legend inspiring generations

HOUSTON – In February 9, 1995, Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. became the first African American astronaut to walk in space, a historic achievement that proved how far talent and self-determination can take us.

But 25 years later, he continues to inspire others to reach for the stars, without forgetting how important it is to believe in yourself and receive family support from an early age.

Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. (NASA)

“When I was 13 years old, watching saw Neal and Buzz Aldrin land on the moon, that was my inspiration. I went running to my mom, I said ‘Mom, I know what I want to do in life. I want to be an astronaut,’ and she said, ‘That’s nice,’ and told me I could be and do anything I wanted to be and that’s all I needed to hear,” said Dr. Harris, who calls Houston home, and wants to see more kids and young people to thrive.

“I firmly believe that we’re born with certain skills and talents and we use our brains to learn others and to enhance those things we come into this life with. And if you match your head, what you want to do, with your heart, it makes a difference,” said Dr. Harris, who has helped community-based initiatives to support education, particularly in minorities.

Dr. Harris, who is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist, often motivates students based on his own experiences.

“When I’m talking to kids about all the things that I’ve done, not to brag about what I’ve done, but to show that even a poor kid from Houston, Texas can go into space,” said Dr. Harris, who lived in The West Side , a poor neighborhood back in the day, now known as Houston Heights.

“I say, do whatever it is you want to do in life and match that with your skills. I learned very early that I love science and I love space science even more, so I naturally gravitated towards becoming an astronaut. So, that’s the first step,” he said.

After leaving NASA, Dr. Harris is committed to encourage students to pursue an interest in STEM education and is the chief executive officer with the National Math and Science Initiative.

Dr. Bernard A. Harris, Jr. at ANSEP 2019

He reflected on why he is focused in equipping students with literacy in science, technology, engineering and math.

“It’s about teaching the basics that allow them to be prepare for the the jobs of the future. And that means, not teaching for the test, but it’s teaching skills for these fields so that those young people will be the new innovators, the new inventors of the new technology that have yet to appear,” he said.

To see Dr. Harris’s complete interview, watch the video above.


About the Author:

Beatriz is a producer for Houston life. She’s a dog mom who enjoys traveling and eating her way through new cities and cultures.