In the early 1980s Ronald McNair helped to lift the racial barrier at NASA's astronaut program.

VOA: standard.2010.02.02

All seven astronauts aboard died: Commander Francis Scobee, Pilot Michael Smith, Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka, Mission Specialist Judith Resnik, Mission Specialist Ronald McNair, Payload Specialist Gregory Jarvis and McAuliffe.

NPR: Challenger: Reporting a Disaster's Cold, Hard Facts