Mary Jackson, NASA’s first Black female engineer, was one of the scientists featured in the film Hidden Figures. Now, the pioneering engineer will be honored as NASA renames their DC headquarters the Mary W Jackson Headquarters Building.
The new name became official with a virtual ceremony last Friday. The headquarters was previously just called NASA Headquarters. Having worked as a math teacher, Jackson joined the West Area Computing section of NASA’s Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory in 1951. After taking advanced math and science courses, Jackson advanced to become NASA’s first Black female engineer in 1958.
The new building name honors the trailblazing dedication of one of NASA’s first Black scientists and recognizes the immense contribution Jackson made to space study and exploration.
Image source: NASA
