Mary Jackson was a pioneering African American aerospace engineer who broke significant barriers during her career at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Born on April 9, 1921, in Hampton, Virginia, she graduated with dual bachelor's degrees in mathematics and physical science from Hampton Institute in 1942. Before joining the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, the predecessor to NASA, she worked as a mathematics teacher, bookkeeper, and receptionist. Jackson made history in 1958 when she became NASA's first African American female engineer after overcoming institutional barriers including segregated education requirements.
Jackson began her career at NACA in 1951 as a mathematician in the segregated West Area Computing division, where she performed complex calculations essential to early aeronautics research. Her work in the Compressibility Research Division involved critical wind tunnel experiments that contributed to the development of rockets and spacecraft during the formative years of the American space program. Jackson's technical expertise in aerodynamics and fluid dynamics proved instrumental in advancing supersonic flight research and spacecraft design during the Space Race era. Her engineering contributions were foundational to early NASA missions despite working in an environment of racial segregation and gender discrimination that required special permission to attend advanced engineering classes.
After retiring from engineering in 1979, Jackson dedicated herself to promoting opportunities for women and minorities in STEM fields as the Federal Women's Program Manager at NASA. She focused on mentoring and advocating for systematic changes to improve hiring and promotion practices for women at the agency. Although her achievements remained largely unrecognized during her lifetime, Jackson's legacy gained widespread acknowledgment following the publication of Margot Lee Shetterly's book Hidden Figures and its subsequent film adaptation in 2016. Posthumously honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in 2019 and having NASA's Washington DC headquarters renamed in her honor in 2021, Jackson's enduring impact continues to inspire generations of diverse scientists and engineers pursuing careers in aerospace.
