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Maj. Robert H. Lawrence

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Maj. Robert Lawrence
Maj. Robert Lawrence, the first African-American astronaut. (Photo illustration/Mike Carabajal)
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Maj. Robert H. Lawrence was the first African-American astronaut, even though he never made it into space.  A test pilot assigned to the Air Force Manned Orbiting Laboratory Program,  Lawrence died in an F-104 Starfighter crash at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Dec. 8, 1967. The Air Force program was a predecessor of NASA's Space Shuttle Program.

Born in Chicago, Ill., Lawrence graduated from high school at age 16 and earned a bachelor's degree in chemistry and an Air Force ROTC commission from Bradley University, Peoria, Ill.  He earned a doctorate in physical chemistry from Ohio State University in 1965.

At the time Lawrence died, the Air Force and NASA programs were not connected. MOL program participants were not considered astronauts even though they had the same skills and the two programs eventually merged. The Air Force reviewed Lawrence's case after a request from the Astronauts Memorial Foundation in 1997, and raised his status to "astronaut."

In 1997, 30 years after his death, his name was the 17th added to the NASA Astronauts Memorial Foundation Space Mirror. The mirror was dedicated in 1991 to honor all U.S. astronauts who have lost their lives on space missions or in training for missions. The space agency cited Lawrence for accomplishments and flight maneuver data that "contributed greatly to the development of the space shuttle."  Lawrence had logged more that 2,500 flight hours.

His Air Force honors included the Commendation Medal and the Outstanding Unit Citation. 

The "Robert H. Lawrence Scholarship" was established at Bradley University for African-American students majoring in chemistry. "The Major Robert Lawrence, Jr. School for Mathematics and Science" in Chicago was renamed in his honor.

Lawrence was survived by his wife and son.



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