The Hidden Figures
Last Updated: December 18, 2021
This blog tells the story of three African American female mathematicians, who together were also known as the “human computer”. These women, in answering their country’s call to service during World War II, presented the mathematical equations and calculated trajectories necessary for NASA’s first flight to space. They helped America in achieving a significant victory against Russia in the Space Race.
Despite being some of the only women in the heavily male dominated field, their work soon earned them the respect of their peers with John Glenn, the first American to orbit the Earth in 1962, saying he wasn’t worried about his safe return to Earth as he trusted Katharine implicitly. He was quoted as saying, “Get the girl, check the numbers and if she says they’re good, I’m good to go”.
Dorothy Vaughan
Dorothy Vaughan (September 20, 1910 – November 10, 2008) was an African American mathematician who worked initially with the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and later, NASA. Dorothy Vaughan was hired by NACA in 1943 and she retired in 1971. Dorothy Vaughan also contributed to the Scout Launch Vehicle Program and became an expert FORTRAN programmer.
Mary Jackson
Mary Jackson (April 9, 1921 – February 11, 2005) was an African American Aerospace mathematician and mathematician at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. She earned her B.S. in Mathematics and Physical Science from the Hampton Institute in 1942. In 1958, she became the first black engineer to work with NASA.
Katherine Johnson
Katherine Johnson (Born in August 26, 1918) she is an African American mathematician who worked with NASA for almost 30 years prior to retiring in 1986. She described her experience with NASA, saying, “I loved going to work every single day.'' She completed her B.S. in Mathematics and French from West Virginia State College in 1937. She is also a pioneering NASA research mathematician and physicist, who was honored by the nation’s highest civilian award- Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 for her extensive contributions to different NASA projects.
She was part of major projects by NASA including ‘Project Mercury’. Project Mercury started in 1958 and lasted through 1963 in the United States. It is the first ever human spaceflight program. The objective of the project was to put man into Earth’s orbit and safely bring him back to Earth. The astronauts of this project were known as the “Mercury Seven”.
NASA even renamed the street “E Street SW” to “Hidden Figures Way” to honor their work as a human-computer at the agency in Virginia when NASA first launched astronauts in space. This street is located in Washington outside NASA headquarters and was unveiled on 12, June 2019.
Senator Ted Cruz who was present at the ceremony said, "A street sign is a piece of metal ... but it's a lot more than that," and adding to this he explained, "inspire generations after generations of kids, and particularly little girls, who may be told in school, 'You can't do something.”
Their contributions were also highlighted by Margot Lee Shetterly who wrote a book called ‘Hidden Figures’. A movie of the same name starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae, was also released in 2016.