Bernard Harris A native Texan born in 1956, Bernard Harris earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from the University of Houston and later obtained a doctorate of medicine from Texas Tech University School of Medicine. He completed his residency at the Mayo Clinic and fellowship at the NASA Ames Research Center. Other degrees include a Master of Medical Science from the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, a Master of Business Administration from the University of Houston Clear Lake and two Honorary Doctorate of Science degrees from Morehouse School of Medicine and Stony Brook University (SUNY).

He holds several faculty appointments and is also a licensed private pilot. In 1990, he was selected as a NASA astronaut and flew his first mission three years later. A payload commander of STS-63, Harris accomplished his childhood dream by becoming the “First African American to walk in Space.”  At the time of his retirement in 1996, he had logged more than 438 hours in space and traveled over 7.2 million miles. 

As a businessman, he served as vice president of SPACEHAB, Inc., where he was involved in business development and marketing. He also was vice president of Business Development for Space Media, Inc., establishing an international space education program for students. In addition, he is a member of the board of some of the leading technology companies in the world. Harris has 37 years of total experience in research, management and hardware/product development. He continues to author numerous scientific publications.

Defining himself as a “dreamer who believes nothing is impossible,” He currently serves as president of The Harris Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization he founded in 1998 to develop math/science education and crime prevention programs for America’s youth. He uses this foundation to inspire young people that they can do anything, if they only set their mind to it. We salute this week’s Living Legend, Dr. Bernard Harris.