Dorothy Vaughan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Dorothy Vaughan
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| Born | September 20, 1910 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
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| Died | November 10, 2008 (aged 98) Hampton, Virginia, U.S.
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| Education | Wilberforce University (BA) |
| Spouse(s) |
Howard Vaughan
(m. 1932; died 1955) |
| Children | 6 |
| Scientific career | |
| Fields | Fortran Computer Specialist |
| Institutions | NACA, Langley Research Center |
Dorothy Jean Johnson Vaughan (born September 20, 1910 – died November 10, 2008) was a brilliant American mathematician. She worked as a "human computer" for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and later for NASA. Her work took place at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.
In 1949, Dorothy Vaughan made history. She became the acting supervisor of the West Area Computers group. This made her the first African-American woman to get a promotion and lead a team at the center. She was later officially promoted to this important role.
During her 28-year career, Vaughan saw that electronic computers were coming. She taught herself and her team the computer language Fortran. This helped them get ready for the future of space exploration. She later led the programming section of the Analysis and Computation Division (ACD) at Langley.
Dorothy Vaughan is one of the amazing women featured in the book Hidden Figures. This book tells the story of African-American women who helped win the Space Race. The book was also made into a popular movie in 2016. In 2019, Vaughan was honored with the Congressional Gold Medal after her death.
Contents
Who Was Dorothy Vaughan?
Dorothy Jean Johnson was born on September 20, 1910, in Kansas City, Missouri. Her parents were Annie and Leonard Johnson. When she was seven, her family moved to Morgantown, West Virginia.
She finished Beechurst High School in 1925 as the top student in her class. Dorothy received a full scholarship to attend Wilberforce University in Wilberforce, Ohio. She studied mathematics and graduated in 1929 with a degree. In 1932, she married Howard Vaughan. They had six children together.
Starting Her Career
After graduating from college, Dorothy Vaughan became a mathematics teacher. She taught at Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia. She taught for 14 years to help her family during the Great Depression. At that time, schools in Virginia were still separated by race.
During World War II, the United States needed many people to help with the war effort. President Franklin D. Roosevelt made rules to stop racial separation in federal jobs. This opened up new opportunities for women and people of color. The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) began hiring more women, including African-American women. They needed help with complex math for airplane designs.
In 1943, Dorothy Vaughan started her career at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. She thought it would be a temporary job during the war. She worked as a mathematician and programmer. She specialized in calculations for flight paths and the Scout Project.
Leading the West Area Computers
Dorothy Vaughan was assigned to the West Area Computers unit. This was a separate group made up only of African-American women. They had to work in separate areas and use different facilities because of unfair laws at the time. These women did complex math calculations by hand.
The West Computers helped with all areas of research at Langley. After the war, their work became even more important for the United States' space program. In 1949, Vaughan became the acting head of the West Area Computers. She was the first black supervisor at NACA. She worked hard to create opportunities for the women in her group and other departments.
Dorothy Vaughan saw that electronic computers were the future. She taught her team programming languages like Fortran. This helped them prepare for the big change. In 1961, NACA brought in the first digital computers. Vaughan became very good at computer programming. She helped the space program with her work on the Scout Launch Vehicle Program.
When NACA became NASA in 1958, the separate work areas were ended. Dorothy Vaughan and many of the former West Computers joined a new, integrated group. She worked at NASA-Langley for 28 years. She once said that working at Langley during the Space Race felt like being on "the cutting edge of something very exciting."
Later Life and Legacy
Dorothy Vaughan retired from NASA in 1971 at the age of 61. In her final years, she worked with famous mathematicians Katherine Johnson and Mary Jackson. They worked on astronaut John Glenn's historic launch into orbit.
She passed away on November 10, 2008, at 98 years old. Dorothy Vaughan was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, an African-American sorority. She was also very active in her church. She even wrote a song called "Math Math."
Dorothy Vaughan's story is told in the book and movie Hidden Figures. The movie shows her important role in the space program. The actress Octavia Spencer played her in the film.
In 2019, Dorothy Vaughan was given the Congressional Gold Medal. This is one of the highest civilian awards in the United States. Also in 2019, a crater on the far side of the Moon was named the Vaughan crater in her honor. On November 6, 2020, a satellite named "Dorothy" was launched into space.
Awards and Honors
- 1925: Beechurst High School – Class Valedictorian
- 1929: Wilberforce University – Mathematician Graduate Cum Laude
- 1949–1958: Head of National Advisory Committee of Aeronautics' Segregated West Computing Unit
- October 16, 2019: A lunar crater is named after her.
- November 8, 2019: Congressional Gold Medal
- November 6, 2020: A satellite named after her was launched into space.
Images for kids
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Dorothy Vaughan
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Vaughan with her colleagues Lessie Hunter and Vivian Adair.
See also
In Spanish: Dorothy Vaughan para niños
