John Herrington – 2024 Circle of Honor

John Herrington, Chickasaw, is a retired United States Naval Aviator and former NASA astronaut. In 2002, he was selected as a Mission Specialist for STS-113, the sixteenth Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station, becoming the first enrolled citizen of a Native American tribe to fly in space.

In 2016, Herrington authored a children’s book called Mission to Space, which provides a glimpse into his experience as an astronaut, including training and missions. The book also includes an English to Chickasaw vocabulary list with space-related terms.

Herrington was inducted to the Chickasaw Hall of Fame in 2002 and the International Air and Space Hall of Fame in 2017. In 2018, he became an inductee in the first induction ceremony held by the National Native American Hall of Fame.

Inaugurated in 2004, the Circle of Honor Award Presentation honors an American Indian for their lifetime achievements and contributions that have enriched the lives of others. Induction into the Circle of Honor is a celebration of the honoree’s actions in the face of adversity, commitment to the preservation of American Indian culture and legacy for future generations. An individual is inducted into the Circle of Honor in even-numbered years. Recipients receive a $10,000 cash prize which is sponsored by the Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation.