Dear Community,
This week in Black History Month, we honor two remarkable women whose work reshaped science and expanded humanity’s reach beyond Earth: Katherine Johnson and Mae Jemison.
Katherine Johnson was a pioneering mathematician at NASA whose calculations were critical to the success of early U.S. space missions. During an era of segregation, she worked as one of the “human computers,” solving complex equations that determined launch windows, flight trajectories, and safe reentry paths. In 1962, astronaut John Glenn specifically requested that Johnson personally verify the computer generated numbers before his orbital flight. This was a testament to her unmatched precision and trustworthiness. Her work contributed to the success of Project Mercury and later Apollo missions helping lay the mathematical foundation for modern space exploration.
Three decades later, Mae Jemison carried that legacy into orbit. In 1992, she became the first Black woman to travel into space aboard the Space Shuttle Endeavour. A physician and engineer, Dr. Jemison had previously served as a medical officer in the Peace Corps before joining NASA’s astronaut corps. During her mission she conducted scientific experiments in life sciences and materials research. A physician, engineer, and educator Dr. Jemison has consistently championed science education and innovation. Her career reflects the power of interdisciplinary excellence blending medicine, engineering, and exploration into one remarkable journey. Beyond spaceflight, she has dedicated her career to advancing STEM education, global health, and innovation initiatives that encourage young people especially girls and students of color to pursue careers in science and technology.
Together, Johnson and Jemison represent generations of Black women whose intellect, perseverance, and courage expanded what was thought possible not only in science, but in society. Their achievements remind us that representation in STEM is not new and has always been present, even when history did not always give it proper recognition
Sincerely,
BSA
P.S. Fun Fact: Patricia Bath pioneered laser cataract surgery and invented the Laserphaco Probe in 1986, becoming the first Black woman physician to receive a medical patent and complete a residency in ophthalmology. Her groundbreaking innovation transformed cataract treatment and restored sight to patients around the world. Daniel Hale Williams performed one of the world’s first successful open-heart surgeries in 1893 and founded Provident Hospital in Chicago, one of the first hospitals in the U.S. to provide training opportunities for Black medical professionals.
