In a historic recognition, four remarkable women—Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—will be awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian honor in the United States. These African American pioneers played crucial roles at NASA during the Space Race, inspiring the acclaimed 2017 film “Hidden Figures.”
The legislation, known as the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act, was signed into law on November 8 and received bipartisan support from U.S. Senators and Representatives, including Kamala Harris and Chris Coons. Johnson is recognized for her exceptional contributions as a mathematician, while Darden is honored for her achievements as an aeronautical engineer. Vaughan and Jackson will each receive their medals posthumously; Vaughan passed away in 2008, and Jackson in 2005. Additionally, a gold medal will be awarded to all women who served as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics and NASA from the 1930s to the 1970s.
The inspiring journeys of these four women were chronicled in Margot Lee Shetterly’s biography “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race,” which was later adapted into a film. Their calculations were pivotal in various significant aerospace missions, including aircraft testing during World War II and the historic lunar landing.
Kamala Harris, one of the bill’s sponsors, expressed that the contributions of Johnson, Vaughan, Jackson, and Darden were monumental for science and the nation. She emphasized the importance of recognizing these women, who have long served as role models for Black women across the country.
The Girl Scouts of the USA also voiced their support, highlighting the inspirational legacy of these trailblazers in STEM fields. Sylvia Acevedo, the organization’s CEO and a former NASA engineer, noted that their contributions have impacted generations of girls aspiring to enter these careers.
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In summary, the Congressional Gold Medals awarded to Johnson, Darden, Vaughan, and Jackson mark a significant step in acknowledging the contributions of women of color in the field of mathematics and aerospace, as their stories are finally receiving the recognition they rightfully deserve.
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