This Day in History: 2017-05-30
June 1994 – “Council on American-Islamic Relations is Founded” Three officers of the Islamic Association of Palestine established the Council on American-Islamic Relations. The organization focuses on defending the civil rights of Muslims, challenging stereotypes of Islam and Muslims and training Muslims in media relations. The organization was one of the leaders in protecting the rights of Islamic Americans after 9/11, when Muslims in the U.S.experienced an increased level of discrimination and violence.
November 23, 2002 - "First Native American Travels to Space"
John Herrington, a registered member of the Chickasaw Nation, was the first Native American to travel into space as the mission specialist for STS-113, the 16th mission to the International Space Station. During his mission, Herrington performed three spacewalks that totaled 19 hours and 55 minutes. The length of his mission was 13 days, 18 hours and 47 minutes. Herrington was inducted to the Chickasaw Hall of Fame the same year he went into space. William Pogue, a crewman aboard Skylab 4 in 1973-1974, had Choctaw ancestry, but was not an enrolled member of the Choctaw.