The Real Women of NASA Who Inspired Hidden Figures

The 2016 film Hidden Figures brought to light the incredible contributions of three trailblazing African American women at NASA who played critical roles during the early years of the U.S. space program. These women, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, were not just figures in history but powerful role models who paved the way for future generations in STEM fields.

The Trailblazing Impact of African American Women at NASA

Katherine Johnson (played by Taraji P. Henson) was a mathematician and a true legend in the world of space exploration. Her work on calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for space missions, including John Glenn's historic orbital flight in 1962, solidified her place in the annals of space history. Johnson's precise calculations were crucial to the success of early space missions. Her contributions were recognized posthumously, with her 100th birthday marked by NASA with a NASA honor in her honor.

Stereotypically Challenged: Dorothy Vaughan’s Legacy

Dorothy Vaughan (played by Octavia Spencer) was a mathematician and computer programmer. She broke significant barriers at NASA as the first African American woman to supervise a group of staff. Her leadership was instrumental during the transition from manual calculations to computer programming, particularly in the early use of the FORTRAN programming language. Vaughan's innovative spirit and dedication to her team helped ensure the smooth functioning of NASA's computational needs.

An Engineer and a Policy Advocate: Mary Jackson

Mary Jackson (played by Janelle Monáe) stood as a paradigm of hard work, dedication, and advocacy for women and minorities in engineering. As an engineer and NASA's first female African American engineer, she worked on aerodynamics and contributed to various projects including the design and testing of aircraft. Jackson was a tireless advocate for diversity in the workforce, helping others to pursue STEM careers and working to break through the racial and gender barriers that existed in her time.

These women's stories were largely unknown until the publication of Margot Lee Shetterly's book Hidden Figures, which led to the film adaptation. Their journeys from being unsung heroes to gaining recognition in popular culture underscore the impact of their work and the importance of celebrating diversity in space exploration and STEM fields.

Legacy and Impact: Champions of Diversity and Inclusion

The real-life women who inspired Hidden Figures not only contributed to the success of NASA's early missions but also challenged the confines of gender and race in their fields. Their stories serve as powerful reminders of the ongoing need for champions of diversity and inclusion in STEM, ensuring that every voice is heard and every dream can be realized.

By shining a light on these unsung heroes, the film and book Hidden Figures have inspired a new generation of young women and people of color to pave their own paths in STEM and advocate for change in the world of science and technology.