NIH Celebrates #BHM2017: Black Women History Makers in STEM, Part 1
This year we celebrate the accomplishments of Black women history makers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). These bright ladies, among many others, are pioneers in STEM and have paved the way for many individuals in these fields. The inspiring selection of profiles highlight their accomplishments and journeys. We hope you enjoy the series of profiles over the course of Black History Month 2017. Follow the NIH Black History Month campaign on Instagram and Twitter.
Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Katherine Johnson are three brilliant Black women who worked at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in 1969. They were the brains behind one of the greatest space operations in history, the launching of astronaut John Glenn into outer space. This achievement is said to have restored the nation’s confidence in space travels, and electrified the world.
Mary Jackson
Mary Jackson was a mathematician and aerospace engineer at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which in 1958 was succeeded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). In 1958 she became NASA's first black female engineer. She worked to influence both the hiring and promotion of women in NASA's science, engineering, and mathematics careers. Jackson is featured in Margot Lee Shetterly's history Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race and film. Read More.
Dorothy Vaughan
Dorothy Vaughan was an African American mathematician who worked for NACA, and NASA, at Langley Research Center (LaRC). She became acting supervisor of the West Area Computers, the first African-American woman to supervise a staff at the center. Vaughan is featured in Margot Lee Shetterly's history Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race and film. Read More.
Katherine Johnson
Physicist and NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson is a pioneer in American space history. Johnson's computations have influenced every major aeronautics and space program. During her time at NASA, Johnson calculated the trajectories, launch windows, and emergency back-up return paths for many flights from Project Mercury through the Space Shuttle program, including the early NASA missions of Alan Shepard and the 1969 Apollo 11 flight to the Moon. Her calculations were critical to the success of these missions. Johnson is featured in Margot Lee Shetterly's history Hidden Figures: The Story of the African-American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race and film. Read More.
Part 2: NIH Celebrates #BHM2017: Black Women History Makers in STEM, Part 2
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