Ronald E. McNair Life History Center
Lake City Library - Segregation to Celebration
What kind of person gets up on a rainy Monday morning, and drives nearly four hours round trip, all to spend just one hour at a library?
Well, folks, that would be me. I’m that kind of person.
But, hear me out! This wasn’t just any library. Its history is tied to an incredible story about Dr. Ron McNair, a NASA astronaut, and physicist who grew up rural in South Carolina.
As a child in the segregated south in 1959, 9-year-old McNair was denied a library card at the Lake City Public Library.
The library card situation escalated and police were involved, and McNair ultimately was allowed to borrow books. It’s a moment in history that to me, mirrors John Lewis’s famous “Good Trouble”—a bold stand against injustice.
Ron McNair would go on to earn a Ph.D. in physics from MIT, and then become one of just 35 people chosen out of 10,000 applicants to join NASA astronaut program. McNair was a mission specialist and the 2nd Black American in space. His first mission was aboard the Challenger STS-41-B.
Tragically, Ron E. McNair was one of seven astronauts who lost their lives in the 1986 Challenger disaster.
Today, the Ron McNair History and Life Center is a part of his legacy. The center memorializes his life and achievements and is a testament to overcoming barriers. As I watched my youngest reading the panels, I hoped this visit will inspire him.
This iconic image of Bruce Candless II untethered during his spacewalk, was taken by Ron McNair from aboard the Challenger during the STS-41B mission in 1984.
My Book Recommendations
If you’d like to learn more about Ron E. McNair and the Challenger astronauts, I have some book recommendations below. Lake City actually first came up on my radar after reading Ron’s Big Mission to my son several years ago. He and I also both read the two middle-grade novels listed below; I highly recommend those as well!
Picture Book:
Ron’s Big Mission by Rose Blue and Corinne J. Naden is a picture book that tells the story of young Ron McNair and his determination to check out books from the library that initially refused him. It’s perfect for early elementary readers and a wonderful way to spark conversations about courage and equality.
Middle Grade Reads:
We Dream of Space by Erin Entrada Kelly: This middle-grade novel follows three siblings navigating family struggles and their own dreams, with the Challenger disaster as a backdrop. A touching and thought-provoking read for middle graders.
Planet Earth Is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos: This heartfelt story follows Nova, a nonverbal girl with autism, who eagerly anticipates the Challenger launch, seeing it as a beacon of hope.
And finally, though I haven’t yet read it, it’s gotten some great reviews:
Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
by Adam Higginbottham
Visiting Lake City, South Carolina
Lake City is approximately 2 hours away from Charleston, so it may not be on your radar, however, however, Lake City, South Carolina is also home to ArtFields, an annual springtime 9-day art festival. This is a great reason to add the library and life history center to your travel itinerary. We’ll be attending in April so I’ll report back!
I hope you enjoyed this virtual field trip. Over the next several years – through my learners’ high school experience – we’ll visit libraries and bookstores throughout the country and eventually worldwide. We’d love for you to subscribe and follow along!
As I learned today, gas prices are quickly rising so if you can become a paid subscriber we’d love to have you. In return, you’ll get:
Book Giveaways
Monthly Live Videos
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