Black History

NASA Headquarters Street Renamed for ‘Hidden Figures’ Mathematicians

WASHINGTON INFORMER — Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were Black female mathematicians at NASA, the U.S. space agency. They faced incredible adversity and defied racial segregation to play important roles in major missions to space. The three women were celebrated and profiled in the 2016 book “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly and the subsequent film by the same name directed by Theodore Melfi.

Published

5 years ago

June 18, 2019

Katherine Lewin Special to The Informer via DiversityInc

By Katherine Lewin, Special to The Informer via DiversityInc

Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were Black female mathematicians at NASA, the U.S. space agency. They faced incredible adversity and defied racial segregation to play important roles in major missions to space.

The three women were celebrated and profiled in the 2016 book “Hidden Figures” by Margot Lee Shetterly and the subsequent film by the same name directed by Theodore Melfi.

The film starred Janelle Monáe, Taraji P. Henson and Octavia Spencer and received three Oscar nominations for showcasing the women’s struggles to advance in their careers during the Jim Crow era.

During the 1950s, mathematicians were called “computers” and Black people were known as “colored computers.” Black women were physically separated from their white colleagues even though they were calculating the same trajectories for missions involving the first Americans in space.

Now, NASA has taken a further step and renamed the street in front of its D.C. headquarters Hidden Figures Way.

The moment was captured on video on June 12 and people on Twitter in D.C. are celebrating too with the hashtag #BlackScienceHistory.

Shetterly, Sen. Ted Cruz, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on aviation and space, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine, Christine Darden, one of NASA’s human “computers” during the Apollo era and members of each woman’s family were there to unveil the sign on E Street.

In February, NASA renamed a facility in Fairmont, West Virginia, after Johnson. She is now 100 years old. In 2015, former President Barack Obama awarded her the presidential medal of freedom, America’s highest civilian honor.

Next month, NASA and the rest of the U.S. will be celebrating next month’s 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and first moon landing. All 12 people who walked on the moon were white American men.

This article originally appeared in the Washington Informer.

Katherine Lewin Special to The Informer via DiversityInc

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The printed Weekly Edition of the Oakland Post: Week of April 24 – 30, 2024

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Black History

Matthew Henson: Explorer Extraordinaire

Matthew Henson, a trailblazing explorer who overcame countless obstacles to leave an incredible mark on history. Born on August 8, 1866, in Charles County, Maryland, his journey is a testament to the power of determination and the spirit of adventure.

Published

2 weeks ago

April 17, 2024

Oakland Post

Matthew Henson (File Photo)

By Tamara Shiloh

Henson’s life began amidst the backdrop of post-Civil War America, where opportunities for African Americans were scarce. From a young age, he possessed an insatiable curiosity about the world beyond his small town. At the age of 12, he embarked on a journey that would change the course of his life forever when he joined a merchant ship as a cabin boy.

His most famous expedition was his journey to the Arctic with renowned explorer Robert E. Peary. In 1887, Henson joined Peary’s crew as a seaman and quickly proved himself to be invaluable with his skills as a navigator and craftsman. Over the course of several expeditions, Matthew endured extreme cold, treacherous terrain, and grueling conditions as he and Peary sought to reach the elusive North Pole.

In 1908–09, Peary set out on his eighth attempt to reach the North Pole. It was a big expedition, with Peary planning to leave supplies along the way. When he and Henson boarded their ship, the Roosevelt, leaving Greenland on August 18, 1909, they were joined by a large group. This included 22 Inuit men, 17 Inuit women, 10 children, 246 dogs, 70 tons of whale meat, blubber from 50 walruses, hunting gear, and tons of coal.

In February, Henson and Peary left their anchored ship at Ellesmere Island’s Cape Sheridan, along with the Inuit men and 130 dogs. They worked together to set up a trail and supplies along the way to the Pole.

Peary picked Henson and four Inuit people to join him in the final push to the Pole. However, before they reached their destination, Peary couldn’t walk anymore and had to ride in a dog sled. He sent Henson ahead to scout the way. In a later interview with a newspaper, Henson recalled being in the lead and realizing they had gone too far. The group turned back, and Henson noticed his footprints helped guide them to their destination. At that location, Henson planted the American flag.

Henson’s legacy extends far beyond his expeditions to the Arctic. He shattered racial barriers in the world of exploration and inspired countless individuals, regardless of race, to dream big and pursue their passions. In 1937, he was finally recognized for his achievements when he was inducted into The Explorers Club, an organization dedicated to promoting scientific exploration and field research.

Matthew Henson died in the Bronx, New York, on March 9, 1955, at the age of 88.