Breaking Barriers and Reaching for the Stars: The Inspiring Story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson at NASA

Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan

In the early 1960s, NASA was in a race against the Soviet Union to put a man into space. The agency was looking for the best and brightest minds to help achieve this goal, regardless of race or gender. Three African-American women, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, rose to the challenge and helped NASA make history.

Katherine Johnson was a brilliant mathematician who worked on the calculations for John Glenn's orbit around the Earth. Her calculations were so precise that Glenn refused to go into space until she had personally verified them. Johnson's work was instrumental in the success of the mission and paved the way for future space exploration.

Dorothy Vaughan was a trailblazer in computer programming, becoming the first African-American supervisor at NASA. She led a team of "human computers," a group of women who performed complex calculations by hand. When NASA switched to electronic computers, Vaughan made sure her team was trained in programming, ensuring their job security and future success.

Mary Jackson was the first African-American female engineer at NASA. She worked on wind tunnel experiments and helped design spacecraft components for the Apollo missions. Jackson's work was critical to the success of NASA's mission to put a man on the moon.

These three women faced discrimination and racism at NASA, but they persevered and made significant contributions to the space program. Their work and determination changed the course of history and inspired future generations of women and people of colour to pursue careers in STEM.

Today, NASA continues to honour the legacy of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. In 2019, the agency renamed a building at its headquarters in Washington, D.C. as the "Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters" in her honour. The women's story was also featured in the popular movie "Hidden Figures," which helped bring their accomplishments to a wider audience.

The story of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson is a testament to the power of determination and the impact of breaking down barriers. Their work at NASA paved the way for future generations of women and people of colour to pursue careers in STEM and reach for the stars.