In a poignant ceremony held in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, U.S. Senator Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia eloquently captured the essence of Katherine Johnson’s immeasurable contributions. “It’s been said that Katherine Johnson counted everything,” she remarked. “But today we’re here to celebrate the one thing even she couldn’t count, and that’s the impact that she and her colleagues have had on the lives of students, teachers, and explorers.”
This profound sense of admiration and reverence for NASA’s Hidden Figures was palpable during the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony. The event was organized to honor the extraordinary achievements of these pioneering women during the space race. The ceremony, hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson, paid tribute to Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Dr. Christine Darden from NASA’s Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. These women, along with many others, served as essential computers, mathematicians, and engineers at NASA and its precursor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA).
“The pioneers we honor today, these Hidden Figures — their courage and imagination brought us to the Moon. And their lessons, their legacy, will send us back to the Moon,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, highlighting the enduring influence of these women on America’s space exploration efforts.
Margot Lee Shetterly, the author of the acclaimed book “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race,” brought their stories to a broader audience in 2016. Her book emphasized the contributions of these women at NASA Langley, where Shetterly’s father worked. This narrative was further popularized by the film adaptation released later that year, featuring Taraji Henson as Johnson, Octavia Spencer as Vaughan, and Janelle Monáe as Jackson. NASA collaborated with 20th Century Fox under a Space Act Agreement to provide historical guidance and advice during the filmmaking process.
In her remarks at the ceremony, Shetterly reflected on the dual roles these women played in their professional and personal lives. Despite their significant contributions to NASA and NACA, they remained deeply involved in their communities, leading Girl Scout troops, delivering meals to the hungry, and tutoring children. “They spent countless hours tutoring kids so that those kids, too, would see the power and the beauty of numbers they believed in, tending to the small D democracy that binds us to each other as neighbors and as American citizens,” she said.
The Congressional Gold Medals were awarded as follows:
– Katherine Johnson: in recognition of her service to the United States as a mathematician.
– Dr. Christine Darden: for her service as an aeronautical engineer.
– Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson: in commemoration of their lives and service during the space race.
– All the women who served as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Advisory Committee.
Family members of Johnson, Vaughan, Jackson, and Dr. Darden accepted the medals on their behalf, with Dr. Darden watching the ceremony from home. Andrea Mosie, a senior Apollo sample processor and lab manager overseeing the 842 pounds of Apollo lunar samples, accepted the medal awarded to all of NASA’s Hidden Figures. Mosie, who began her career at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in the 1970s, expressed gratitude to Congress for supporting NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to send the first woman and the first person of color to the Moon. She emphasized the agency’s commitment to providing opportunities that reflect the diversity of the American population.
Several officials from NASA Langley attended the event to honor the legacies of these remarkable women. Dawn Schaible, NASA Langley’s Acting Center Director, expressed her admiration, stating, “I am humbled by the significant contributions and lasting impact of these women to America’s aeronautics and space programs. Their brilliance and perseverance still echo not just through the halls of NASA Langley, but through the entire Agency. They are an inspiration to me and countless others who have benefited from the paths they forged.”
The path to this historic recognition began with the introduction of H.R. 1396 – Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act by Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson of Texas in 2019. The bill was signed into law later that year. This recognition was a significant milestone in acknowledging the contributions of these women to the nation’s space exploration efforts.
In 2015, President Barack Obama presented Katherine Johnson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, further solidifying her legacy and the legacy of her colleagues.
The Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony not only honored the achievements of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Dr. Christine Darden but also served as a reminder of the vital role that diversity and inclusion play in advancing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The contributions of these women have paved the way for future generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers, inspiring them to reach for the stars.
For more information, visit NASA Langley Research Center’s official website.
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