Mary W. Jackson: NASA to rename D.C. Headquarters after first black woman engineer
- NASA is set to rename their Washington D.C. headquarters building after Mary W. Jackson
- Trailblazer Mary W. Jackson was the association's first female black engineer
- Her contribution to the success of NASA was not acknowledged until years after she retired
- NASA administrator, Jim Bridenstine, announced the association's decision in a statement in June 2020
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The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) will rename their Washington D.C. headquarters building after the association's first female black engineer Mary W. Jackson.
Mary W. Jackson was the first black woman engineer at the association and recently the main character of the film Hidden Figures.
With her determination even at the time when segregation was still rife, she helped break down barriers for African Americans and women in engineering and technology.
YEN.com.gh learnt that in 2019, NASA renamed the street outside its headquarters as Hidden Figures Way.
Source: Facebook
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NASA administrator, Jim Bridenstine, said in a statement that Jackson, who died in 2005 at 84 ‘‘was part of a group of very important women who helped NASA succeed in getting American astronauts into space.
The statement further stated that Jackson ‘‘helped break barriers and open opportunities for African Americans and women in the field of engineering and technology.’’
Jim Bridenstine proudly said the decision serves as a reminder that Mary is one of many incredible and talented professionals in NASA's history who contributed to the agency's success.
In another story, Dr. Korie A. Grayson, has become an example of black excellence after she earned her PhD in Biomedical Engineering from Cornell University in the United States.
Dr. Grayson officially became a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan Ann Arbor, College of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, under the mentorship and guidance of Dr. Lola Eniola-Adefeso.
Adding to her accomplishments, she was also inducted into the Edward Alexander Bouchet Graduate Honor Society.
The purpose of the Edward A. Bouchet Graduate Honor Society is to recognise outstanding scholarly achievement and promote diversity and excellence in doctoral education and the professoriate.
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Source: YEN.com.gh
