Dorothy Vaughan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Dorothy Vaughan
Born	Dorothy Jean Johnson (1910-09-20)September 20, 1910 Kansas City, Missouri, U.S.
Died	November 10, 2008(2008-11-10) (aged 98) Hampton, Virginia, U.S.
Education	Wilberforce University (BA)
Spouse(s)	Howard Vaughan ​ ​ (m. 1932; died 1955)​
Children	6
Scientific career
Institutions	NACA, Langley Research Center

Dorothy Jean Johnson Vaughan (September 20, 1910 – November 10, 2008) was an amazing American mathematician and computer programmer. She worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and later for NASA. Her work took place at the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

Dorothy Vaughan was a true pioneer. In 1949, she became the first African-American woman to supervise a group of staff at the center. She led the West Area Computers team. During her 28-year career, Dorothy Vaughan saw that electronic computers were becoming very important. She taught herself and her team the FORTRAN programming language. This helped them prepare for the future of space exploration. She later led the programming section of the Analysis and Computation Division at Langley. Her inspiring story is shared in the book and movie Hidden Figures. In 2019, she received the Congressional Gold Medal, a very high honor.

Early Life and Education

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 was a brilliant student and graduated from Beechurst High School in 1925 as the top student in her class.

Dorothy received a special scholarship to attend Wilberforce University in Ohio. In 1929, she earned a degree in mathematics. In 1932, she married Howard Vaughan. They had six children: Ann, Maida, Leonard, Kenneth, Michael, and Donald. Dorothy was very dedicated to her family and her church.

A Career in Computing

After graduating from college in 1929, Dorothy Vaughan became a math teacher. She taught at Robert Russa Moton High School in Farmville, Virginia. This was during a tough time called the Great Depression, when many people struggled to find jobs. She taught for 14 years. At that time, schools and other places in Virginia were separated by race due to old laws.

In 1941, during World War II, the U.S. government needed many people to help with the war effort. President Franklin D. Roosevelt made rules to stop unfair hiring practices. This meant that federal agencies, like the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), started hiring more women. This included African-American women, to help design airplanes.

In 1943, Dorothy Vaughan began her career at the Langley Research Center. She worked as a "human computer." This meant she did complex math calculations by hand. Her work helped with flight paths and rocket projects. She was assigned to the West Area Computing unit. This was a separate group for African-American women because of the rules at the time. They used their math skills to solve difficult problems.

After the war, their work became even more important for the United States' space program. In 1949, Dorothy Vaughan became the acting head of the West Area Computers. She was the first African-American supervisor at NACA. She led a team of talented African-American women. Later, she was officially promoted to supervisor.

In 1961, NACA started using the first digital computers. Dorothy Vaughan quickly learned how to program these new machines. She taught herself the FORTRAN programming language. Then she taught it to her coworkers. This helped everyone prepare for the new computer age. She played a key role in the Scout Launch Vehicle Program.

When NACA became NASA in 1958, the separate work groups were ended. Dorothy Vaughan and many of the former West Computers joined a new, integrated group. It was called the Analysis and Computation Division. She worked at NASA-Langley for 28 years. She once said that working at Langley during the Space Race felt like being part of "something very exciting." She also shared, "I changed what I could, and what I couldn't, I endured."

Later Years and Retirement

Dorothy Vaughan retired from NASA in 1971 when she was 61 years old. In her last years at NASA, she worked with other brilliant mathematicians. These included Katherine Johnson and Mary Jackson. Together, they helped calculate the path for astronaut John Glenn's historic launch into orbit.

Dorothy Vaughan passed away on November 10, 2008, at the age of 98. She was a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha, an African-American sorority. She was also very active in her church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church. There she enjoyed music and missionary work. She was survived by four of her children, ten grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren.

Legacy and Recognition

Dorothy Vaughan left an incredible legacy. She was the first black female manager at NASA. As one of the first female FORTRAN programmers, she taught her colleagues. She helped open doors for other women in computer programming at NASA.

In 2005, a scholarship fund was created in her name. It supports music training by the Salem Music Study Club.

Her inspiring life story is featured in the 2016 non-fiction book Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly. This book was also made into a popular movie of the same name. The award-winning actress Octavia Spencer played Dorothy Vaughan in the film.

In August 2017, the Dorothy J. Vaughan Academy of Technology opened in Charlotte, North Carolina. This school is inspired by her "leadership, innovation, creativity, curiosity, and love of learning."

In 2019, Dorothy Vaughan was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. This is one of the highest civilian honors in the United States. Also in 2019, a crater on the far side of the Moon was named "Vaughan" in her honor.

On November 6, 2020, a satellite called "Dorothy" (ÑuSat 12) was launched into space. It was also named after her.

Her personal Bible and NASA retirement ID card are displayed in the Museum of the Bible. The African Methodist Episcopal Church also recognized her with a service award.

North Central University offers a scholarship in honor of Dorothy Vaughan. It is for BIPOC and/or female students.

Awards and Honors

Dorothy Vaughan received many awards and honors throughout her life and after.

• 1925: Graduated as Valedictorian from Beechurst High School.
• 1925: Received a full scholarship from the West Virginia Conference of the A.M.E. Sunday School Convention.
• 1929: Graduated from Wilberforce University with a degree in Mathematics, Cum Laude.
• 1949–1958: Head of NACA's Segregated West Computing Unit.
• October 16, 2019: A lunar crater was named "Vaughan" in her honor.
• November 8, 2019: Awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, accepted by her family at a 2024 ceremony.
• November 6, 2020: A satellite named "Dorothy" was launched into space.
• July 19, 2024: NASA Johnson Space Center's central data office, Building 12, was renamed the "Dorothy Vaughan Center in Honor of the Women of Apollo."

Images for kids

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  Dorothy Vaughan with her human computer colleagues Lessie Hunter and Vivian Adair. Margaret Ridenhour and Charlotte Craidon are standing in the back.

See also

In Spanish: Dorothy Vaughan para niños