Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez - First Latin American and the first person of African Ancestry in Space

 

Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez was first person from Latin America to fly in space and also the first Black Person to fly in space in Soyuz 38 September 18,1980

 

Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez (DOB January 29, 1942) was the first Latin American and the first person of African ancestry in space; he was proclaimed at the time as the first black cosmonaut

As a member of the crew of Soyuz 38, he became the first Cuban Citizen and the first person from a country in the Western Hemisphere  other than the USA to travel into Earth Orbit

 

Tamayo, along with Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Romanenko was launched into space aboard Soyuz 38 from Baikakonur Cosmodrome on September 18, 1980

After 124 Orbits of the Earth (lasting 7 days, 20 hours and 43 minutes), Tamayo and Romanenko landed 180 km (110 mi) from  Dzhezhazgan