NASA Rename’s Headquarters Building After 1st Black Female Engineer Mary W. Jackson

NASA’s 1st black female engineer Mary W. Jackson, will be the name you see on NASA’s headquarters building. Jackson began her career in the 1950s in a segregated computing unit at NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. Jackson’s daughter, Carolyn Lewis said her family was “honored” by the recognition. “She was a scientist, humanitarian, wife, mother and trailblazer who paved the way for thousands of others to succeed, not only at NASA but throughout this nation.” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine said “Mary W. Jackson was part of a group of very important women who helped NASA succeed in getting American astronauts into space.” Bridenstine goes on to say “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.”

In 2019, the street in front of NASA’s D.C. headquarters was renamed “Hidden Figures Way.” Based on the 2017 film “Hidden Figures”, starred Janelle Monáe as NASA engineer Mary Jackson, Taraji P. Henson as Katherine Johnson, and Octavia Spencer as Dorothy Vaughan. The movie was loosely based on the 2016 non-fiction book by Margot Lee Shetterly. To read more click here.

Source: CNN
Source: The Washington Post