Spuds MacKenzie was, in fact, a female dog. This was all revealed in a 1987 People Magazine article that set out to debunk rumors that the bull terrier had died in a limo accident, or while surfing, or in a plane crash. In a stunning breach of privacy, the article also published the Oles' home address.
Mae Carol Jemison was born on October 17, 1956, in Decatur, Alabama, the youngest child of Charlie Jemison, a roofer and carpenter, and Dorothy (Green) Jemison, an elementary school teacher.
She also has training in African-American studies, dance and choreography. Jemison entered Stanford University in 1973 at the age of 16, graduated in 1977 and began Medical School at Cornell. While studying at Cornell, Jemison spent time providing medical care in Cuba, Kenya and Thailand. She earned her doctorate in medicine in 1981 and was accepted by NASA as an astronaut candidate in 1987.