Congressman Frank Lucas (R-OK) invited the Aeronautical Center to attend a Hidden Figures Gold Medal Ceremony in Washington, D.C., on September 18th. Congressman Lucas is the Chair of the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee and was proud to celebrate the presentation of Congressional Gold Medals to Katherine Johnson, Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Christine Darden, as well as all pioneering women whose remarkable contributions have been instrumental to the success of NASA and American spaceflight from 1930's-1970's.
"For years, female computer operators, mathematicians, and engineers helped drive NASA's unprecedented achievements during the space race despite facing gender barriers. They were paid less, received fewer opportunities for advancement, and were not recognized for their contributions, often having to submit their work anonymously," Chairman Lucas said at the ceremony. "Women of color like Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson faced even more disadvantages from segregation and racism. And yet they persisted in their work, helping to send John Glenn into orbit, to land the first humans on the Moon, and to launch enduring scientific missions like the Voyager probes."
Congressman Lucas further expressed, "Awarding them the Congressional Gold Medal honors their lives and work, and ensures they will continue to inspire Americans for years to come. When the first woman lands on the Moon in the Artemis program, she will follow in the footsteps of the women we honor today." You can watch the speech given in their honor here.
https://science.house.gov/bills?ID=8C8F17C1-5894-448E-AC67-16D11BCEBDCF H.R.1396, the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act, was introduced by former House Science Committee Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson and Chairman Lucas and signed into law in 2019. The Congressional Gold Medal is the highest civilian award in the U.S. It is awarded to those who have performed an achievement that has impacted American history and culture and is likely to be recognized in the recipient's field for years to come.
The Aeronautical Center was invited to attend this event thanks to its incredible work promoting science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education and careers in Oklahoma. Congressman Lucas thanked everyone for working to inspire Oklahoma's youth to consider a STEM career. In 2023 alone, the Aeronautical Center's outreach efforts reached over 14,000 students through our STEM / Aviation Space Education (AVSED) program.
