A respected physicist and astronaut, he was the second African-American to travel into space. He was a Mission Specialist on the Space Shuttle Challenger and died tragically in its 1986 explosion.
For his achievements, Ronald E. McNair received three honorary doctorate degrees and many fellowships and commendations. These distinctions include: Presidential Scholar, 1967-71; Ford Foundation Fellow, 1971-74; National Fellowship Fund Fellow, 1974-75; Omega Psi Phi Scholar of the Year, 1975; Distinguished National Scientist, National Society of Black Professional Engineers, 1979; and the Friend of Freedom Award, 1981.
https://mcnair.berkeley.edu/about-ronald-e-mcnair