June 26

(Astronaut) Bernard Harris, Jr.

 On June 26, 1956, Dr. Bernard A. Harris, the first African American astronaut to perform a spacewalk was born in Temple, Texas.

Dr. Harris became an astronaut in July of 1991.   During Harris's second space mission February 2, 1995 - February 11, 1995, while a Payload Commander on STS-63 with the Russian space station Mir Harris walked in space for the first time.  During this mission retrieval of the Spartan 204 satellite was implemented by STS 63.  Dr. Harris served with NASA until April of 1996. During a post flight conference Captain Jim Wetherbee of STS Flight 63 introduces members of the STS 63 crew including Dr. Bernard Harris.