JFK was president when Alan Sherad left Earth
Ronald Reagan was president when Sally Ride became the first American woman in space in 1983.
Reagan
The first American woman to go into space was Sally Ride, who flew aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983. At that time, Ronald Reagan was the President of the United States.
President George Bush
The first president to go to space was Ronald Reagan. He did not travel to space during his presidency, but before becoming president, Reagan flew on a NASA Boeing 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft to observe a Space Shuttle mission in 1986.
The first president to witness a space launch in person was John F. Kennedy when he observed the launch of astronaut Alan Shepard on May 5, 1961, becoming the first American in space.
President John F. Kennedy greeted Alan Shepard after he became the first American to travel to space on May 5, 1961.
Dr. Guion S. Bluford Jr. was the first African American to walk in space on August 30, 1983 during the Space Shuttle Challenger mission STS-8.
Ronald Reagan
who was the first African American to travel in space
Ellison Onizuka was the first Asian American to "reach" space. He flew into space successfully with the Space Shuttle Discovery. He was killed during the mission as the Space Shuttle Challenger destructed.
RussiaRussian (Soviet). The Russian sent a woman into space in the 1960's. The USA was planning to send a woman into space in the 1960's, but, did not do so, because President LBJ ordered NASA not to. The USA would not send a woman into space until the 1980's.