When John Herrington was born in 1958, the Space Race was in its early stages. As a little boy, John dreamed of blasting into space. It seemed unlikely that he would follow in the footsteps of great American astronauts such as Alan Shepherd or Neil Armstrong. John wasn't the best student. But his hard work and determination eventually made his dream a reality. In 2002, he became the first Native American to travel to space. Part of the Notable Indigenous Americans series, this book tells the story of a member of the Chickasaw Nation who grew up to become an American hero.