Guion 'Guy' Bluford launches aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, becoming the first African American to travel to space.
At a Glance
- Date
- 30 August 1983
- Location
- Cape Canaveral, Florida
- Key people
- Guion Bluford
- Category
- Science, Medicine & Invention
- Source
- NASA mission STS-8 records · NASA
What It Meant Then
It broke a barrier in the U.S. space program at the height of the shuttle era.
What It Means Now
Bluford opened the door for a generation of Black astronauts and scientists.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Guion Bluford Becomes the First Black American in Space.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/guion-bluford-becomes-the-first-black-american-in-space/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Guion Bluford Becomes the First Black American in Space. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/guion-bluford-becomes-the-first-black-american-in-space/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Guion Bluford Becomes the First Black American in Space.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/guion-bluford-becomes-the-first-black-american-in-space/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.