To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, the South Carolina Senate has adopted a resolution recognizing Oct. 21, 2026 as Ronald McNair Day in South Carolina. A native of Lake City, SC, Dr. McNair was one of seven astronauts who perished aboard the Challenger on Jan. 28, 1986.
The resolution was introduced and adopted by the Senate Wednesday.
Born on Oct. 21, 1950, Dr. McNair attended Carver High School in Lake City. He graduated magna cum laude from North Carolina A&T State in 1971 where he earned a bachelor of science degree in Physics. Dr. McNair also received a doctor of philosophy in Physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1976.
In addition, Dr. McNair earned several honorary doctorates including an honorary doctorate of Laws from North Carolina A&T in 1978, an honorary doctorate of Science from Morris College in 1980, and an honorary doctorate of science from the University of South Carolina in 1984.
In 1978, NASA selected Dr. McNair as an astronaut candidate and in 1979, following training and evaluation, he qualified for assignment as a mission specialist astronaut on Space Shuttle flight crews.
Dr. McNair first flew as a mission specialist on February 3, 1984. He later would be assigned the same duty aboard the ill-fated Challenger.
Dr. McNair became the second African-American to fly in space. An accomplished saxophonist, he also was the first person to play a saxophone in space, and McNair crater on the moon is named in his memory.