Guion Stewart Bluford, Jr. was the first African American astronaut to travel to space.

In 1978, Guion Stewart Bluford was selected as an astronaut candidate. Guion was one of thirty-five selected. Two other African American men, Dr. Ronald E. McNair and Lt. Col. Fredrick Gregory were also selected (See photo below).

Guion’s first mission would be in 1983 on the Space Shuttle Challenger, making the first time an African American man went to space. His final spaceflight was in 1992 on the Space Shuttle Discovery.

He’d logged over 700 hours in orbit on the Challenger and Discovery.