March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate and elevate the important women in history and in daily life. They are the difference-makers who continually deliver meaningful contributions within the workplace, schools, communities, homes and everywhere else in between.
As a woman-owned business, we’re proud to participate in Women’s History Month and hopefully do our part to inspire and support young girls and women, the leaders and trailblazers of tomorrow who will help build a better world.
Women’s History Month was established in 1981 through an act of Congress and evolved from a week-long recognition into what it is today: a months-long tribute to the endless contributions of American women from all walks of life and every field imaginable.
As we look up to all the incredible women in the world and give kudos, we would like to highlight some of history’s brightest minds and stars who transformed the very way of life through their talent, tirelessness and grit, particularly those in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) field.
Annie Easley broke barriers within the science and mathematics fields. Inspired by twin sisters who worked as “human computers” at a NASA-linked research lab, Easley applied for a job shortly after moving to Birmingham, Alabama. Her career span surpassed 30 years and included significant contributions within computer science. As a “human computer,” Easley was only one of four African Americans employed at the lab. Later in her career, she used her experience as a computer programmer to support NASA initiatives and helped inspire an entire generation to also reach for the stars.
Hedy Lamarr will always be remembered as a Hollywood star from a golden era, but she was also a talented engineer who helped advance the field of wireless communication. Her talents and scientific thinking led to the development of a device that would lay the groundwork for GPS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. It’s unimaginable to think of a world without the advancement of wireless technology and communication. Her inventive spirit was apparent in that she helped to develop a communication system that utilized radio waves to “frequency hop.” This system created the potential for guidance of torpedoes in war. In addition to her brilliant contributions, she also lit up the silver screen upon her arrival in Hollywood. In 1938, she debuted in Algiers and became a premier Hollywood star soon after.
The ”Hidden Figures” women of NASA
In the 1960s, a group of men took on a new frontier: space. Astronauts Alan Shepard, Gus Grissom and John Glenn grew into household names for their pioneering spirit. But behind the scenes, the workers who helped the nation send the first crew into orbit were none other than hundreds of unheralded NASA workers and “super computers.” If you watched the movie “Hidden Figures,” you’ll know the important contributions of Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan. They are the real-life Hidden Figures who powered through complicated and groundbreaking mathematics while also navigating through the prejudices of the day.
They took part in a workforce of women who were employed as “human computers” at the National Advisory Committee of Aeronautics, which came before NASA. They worked in segregated wings of the building in a place called West Area Computers. Before long, their true value shined as bright as the places NASA hoped to reach. Their mathematic wizardry would help put the first person into orbit in 1962.
Please join us in recognizing these great women and the countless others who have helped change the world!