NASA names headquarters after its first black female engineer, "Hidden Figure" Mary W. Jackson
Source: CBS
NASA announced Wednesday that it is naming its headquarters in Washington, D.C. after mathematician and aerospace engineer Mary W. Jackson. Jackson became the agency's first American American female engineer in 1958, opening up opportunities for countless women of color in STEM who followed in her footsteps.
"Mary W. Jackson was part of a group of very important women who helped NASA succeed in getting American astronauts into space. Mary never accepted the status quo, she helped break barriers and open opportunities for African Americans and women in the field of engineering and technology," Administrator Jim Bridenstine said in a statement. "Today, we proudly announce the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building."
Jackson's career — along with those of other pioneering black NASA scientists — became widely recognized after the publication of Margot Lee Shetterly's 2016 book, "Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race." In the subsequent film "Hidden Figures," Jackson was played by award-winning musician and actress Janelle Monáe.
NASA's headquarters "appropriately sits on 'Hidden Figures Way,' a reminder that Mary is one of many incredible and talented professionals in NASA's history who contributed to this agency's success," Bridenstine said. "Hidden no more, we will continue to recognize the contributions of women, African Americans, and people of all backgrounds who have helped construct NASA's successful history to explore."
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/news/nasa-mary-jackson-headquarters-named-for-first-black-female-engineer-hidden-figure/?ftag=CNM-00-10aab7e&linkId=91760549
This is so awesome!
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It's called Hidden Figures.
It's a great movie and well worth watching.
