NASA's 'Hidden Figures' Now Have Their Own Street In D.C.
Photo Credit: NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, left, U.S. Senator Ted Cruz, R-Texas, second from left, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, third from left, and Margot Lee Shetterly, author of the book "Hidden Figures," right, unveil the "Hidden Figures Way" street sign at a dedication ceremony, Wednesday, June 12, 2019 at NASA Headquarters in Washington, DC. The 300 block of E Street SW in front of the NASA Headquarters building was designated as "Hidden Figures Way" to honor Katherine Johnson, Dorthy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and all women who have dedicated their lives to honorably serving their country, advancing equality, and contributing to the space program of the United States. Photo Credit: (NASA/Joel Kowsky)

NASA's 'Hidden Figures' Now Have Their Own Street In D.C.

Arriana McLymore

Arriana McLymore. Jun 12, 2019.

It’s been three years since “Hidden Figures” hit theaters celebrating the lives and legacies of three African American women who put a man into space. Now, NASA is honoring those same women with a street in front of its national headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson will live on through the newly named, “Hidden Figures Way,” which will replace E Street Southwest.

Each of the women served integral roles in helping NASA. Johnson worked for NASA for over 30 years. She’s most well known for her role in the orbital mission that sent John Glenn to space. Johnson, a brilliant mathematician, checked the work of computers by doing her own separate equations by hand.  Vaughan led a team of computer programmers and was NASA’s first Black manager and one of few women supervisors at the time. She also was a staunch advocate in making sure women programmers received promotions and pay raises.  Jackson worked at NASA as an aeronautical engineer for 34 years and got her start in 1951 working under Vaughan. She became NASA’s first Black woman engineer in 1958.

HAMPTON, VA – 1980: NASA space scientist, and mathematician Katherine Johnson poses for a portrait at work at NASA Langley Research Center in 1980 in Hampton, Virginia. (Photo by NASA/Donaldson Collection/Getty Images)

The women’s family members, as well as the author of the book “Hidden Figures,” Margot Lee Shetterly, attended the event. NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, also joined in the renaming ceremony.

The work of these three geniuses flew under the radar for years and its awesome to see them finally getting the recognition they deserve. Their story of perseverance and their role in American space exploration changed the course of history forever, and now people in D.C. will be reminded of that every day.