Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr.: From Space Pioneer to Hall of Fame Legend

His contributions to space exploration will never be forgotten.

In 1995, Dr. Bernard A. Harris Jr. quite literally floated into the pages of history. As a mission specialist aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-63), he became the first Black astronaut to perform a spacewalk — a milestone that broke racial barriers and inspired a generation of dreamers across the globe (NASA).

“In truth, I didn’t know I was the first African American until I got back inside and I got the call that President Clinton wanted to talk to me,” Harris recalled in an interview with Smithsonian Magazine. “I kind of went like, ‘What for?’”

That spacewalk, part of a mission designed to simulate docking with Russia’s Mir Space Station, placed Harris among an elite circle of explorers. Yet, for him, that achievement was not about glory — it was about progress. Nearly three decades later, his name has now been officially enshrined in the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame, honoring a lifetime dedicated to science, leadership, and mentorship (Space.com).

On May 31, 2025, Dr. Harris was formally inducted into the Hall at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Florida. As he stood before his newly unveiled plaque and received the induction medal, the 65-year-old pioneer joined the ranks of America’s most celebrated space legends, becoming the 110th astronaut ever inducted (NASA Press Release, 2025). Though fellow honoree Dr. Peggy Whitson — the American with the most cumulative time in space — could not attend, Harris’ recognition stood as a moving testament to his trailblazing spirit.

Born in Temple, Texas, in 1956, Harris’ fascination with space began early. When he watched Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon in 1969, the 13-year-old saw more than an astronaut — he saw a calling.

“I was old enough to live through the civil rights movement,” Harris reflected. “I could turn one TV channel and see humanity reaching the Moon, then switch to another and see Black Americans fighting for their right to vote or simply to exist. That duality shaped how I saw the world.” (Black Enterprise)

While he never saw anyone who looked like him among NASA’s astronauts, Harris refused to accept invisibility as fate. “If I didn’t see someone who looked like me,” he said, “then I decided I’d have to be that person.”

His determination paid off. After earning a medical degree from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and serving as a flight surgeon, Harris was selected as a NASA astronaut candidate in 1990. He made his first journey into orbit aboard Columbia (STS-55) in 1993, serving as a mission specialist for a 10-day Spacelab flight focused on life sciences research (NASA Biography). Two years later, his Discovery spacewalk — lasting over four hours — cemented his legacy among the stars.

Beyond his astronautic feats, Harris has devoted his post-NASA career to empowering others. He founded The Harris Foundation, a nonprofit organization promoting STEM education for underrepresented youth, reaching more than 20,000 students annually across the United States (The Harris Foundation, 2024). He has also served on multiple boards, including the National Math and Science Initiative and Space Foundation.

Today, as his bronze plaque joins those of Neil Armstrong, Sally Ride, and John Glenn, Dr. Harris’s story continues to remind the world that the sky is not the limit — it’s only the beginning.

“I tell young people all the time,” Harris said, “you don’t have to be defined by your circumstances. You can be defined by your dreams — and by how hard you work to make them real.” (NASA Interview, 2025)

Congratulations, Dr. Bernard Harris — you didn’t just make history, you became history.