Research Guides: John Herrington: Biography

John Herrington (Born on September 14, 1958)

As a kid growing up in Riverton, Wyoming, he would play in a cardboard box, transforming it into a rocket ship on a flight to the moon, and he built miniature rockets with beetles tucked into tiny payload compartments. His dreams of flight, however, were punctured when a teacher told him he wasn't smart enough to take algebra. After graduating in 1976 from Piano High, in Texas, he went on to college, but was dismissed because of poor grades. He took up work as a chef, and began partying hard. As he once noted in an interview with the Billings (Montana) Gazette, "I was going down the wrong path." Continue . . .

Source: Chien, Philip. “John Herrington.” Native Peoples Magazine, vol. 16, no. 1, Nov. 2002, p. 28. From Academic Search Complete database.

Resources

Astronaut travels to the edge of his universe Reports on John Herrington's trip to International Space Station in the space shuttle Endeavor. Herrington's educational background; Experience of taking-off from Earth; Challenges of space walks.
Asteroid Day: John Herrington Born September 14, 1958 in Wetumka, Oklahoma. He grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado; Riverton, Wyoming; Plano, Texas, and currently resides in Idaho. Commander Herrington is married and has two children. He enjoys flying, rock climbing, snow skiing, running, and cycling.
Commander John Herrington is the first Indigenous astronaut for NASA NASA astronaut John Herrington stops by Global News Morning to talk about his journey to space and what that experience was like.
Chickasaw Video Network: John Herrington Herrington has spent his life as a proud Chickasaw member serving as a U.S. Naval Aviator and an astronaut for NASA.
Astronaut John Herrington Interview Space shuttle astronaut John Herrington sat down for an interview while at the Hall of Fame Dinner at the San Diego Air and Space Museum. Thank you to John Herrington and the Air and Space Museum!
Dr. John Herrington Reads to Kids at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame Dr. John Herrington, the world's first indigenous astronaut, reads his book 'Mission to Space' to a packed Summer Thursday crowd at the Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Gaylord-Pickens Museum. Dr. Herrington is a member of the Chickasaw Nation in Oklahoma and flew to the International Space Station in 2002 aboard the shuttle Endeavour.
Tell Me A Story: John Herrington's First Spacewalk and Loose Toolbox Astronaut John Herrington describes his first spacewalk experience and the surprise of a loose toolbox.
Cmdr. John Herrington's Presentation at VCC NASA Cmdr. John B. Herrington -- space shuttle mission specialist on the Endeavour, scientist and the first Native American astronaut -- was at Vancouver Community College on Oct. 28, 2010 for a special free presentation for the college community and the public.
Native American Astronaut John Herrington Pixel Pirate Studio Animated Historical shorts As Seen on Nickelodeon/ Nick Jr featuring Native American Heroes. John Bennett Herrington (born September 14, 1958, Chickasaw Nation) is a retired United States Naval Aviator and former NASA astronaut. In 2002, Herrington became the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in space.