Picture this: Elementary school classroom in the 1980’s. They roll a huge television into the room and then dim the lights. Teachers and children are full of excitement as they watch a line of six astronauts enter a space shuttle. Plus an extra special guest – Christa McAuliffe from the Teacher In Space Program. Then the shuttle takes off and they all cheer…until suddenly there’s an explosion on the screen. The room falls silent and everyone looks around in confusion as the reality sets. It was the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster, I watched it happen live on my classroom’s television in 5th grade and it’s a clear memory from my childhood. Hi trauma, it’s me.

Recently I was in South Carolina and I discovered that one of the astronauts who lost their lives on that day in 1986 has his own memorial in the town of Lake City. I had to stop by to pay my respects to Ronald McNair.

And today I want to write about that discovery because it has been 40 years to the day since the Challenger Shuttle explosion. I can’t believe it.

There at the memorial I discovered that Ronald McNair was known for so much more than his death. He was a five time black belt karate champion, had a MIT PhD in physics, was the 2nd African American to travel to space and he founded educational scholarships for students with economic hardships.

He was also a virtuoso saxophonist and there were plans to create numerous experimental musical stylings in space for jazz artist Jean-Michel Jarre as well as a live feed concert. Sadly, that didn’t happen due to the tragedy. Jarre honored him with ‘Ron’s Piece’ on one of his subsequent albums. Take a listen to it here.

In the 90s, Ronald’s ashes were moved from his family cemetery to a tomb that is now prominently displayed on the property of what was once the local library. The same library that at one time denied him books as a child because of racist policies. In the summer of 1959, McNair refused to leave the segregated Lake City Public Library without being allowed to check out his books. After the police and his mother were called, McNair was allowed to borrow books. And now that building is a museum dedicated to him. The Ronald E. McNair Life History Center!

Ronald’s tomb sits on an elevated cement pedestal with an eternal flame and a continuously running fountain that makes a very unique echo-ing sound. There’s also a commemorative plaque, his footprints encased in cement, a life-size bronze statue, and a large stone wall that is covered with quotes from Ron as well as dates of his accomplishments and a rendering of the Challenger Shuttle.

Ronald’s wife Cheryl would go on to found the Challenger Center for Space Science Education alongside other surviving family members of the Challenger crew. The center promotes STEM education for children, and this year marks its 40 year anniversary of providing services and support to future scientists.

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Ronald E. McNair Life History Center
235 E Main St.
Lake City, SC 29560