Mary Jackson
An American mathematician and aerospace engineer at NASA, who became NASA's first black female engineer.
Most quoted
"We have to do something like this to get them interested in science. Sometimes they are not aware of the number of black scientists, and don't even know of the career opportunities until it is too late."
— from On community outreach, 1970
"I plan to be an engineer at NASA, but I have to take the graduate-level courses in math and physics to qualify, and they're only offered at a segregated high school."
— from Conversation with supervisor, 1958
"I changed my mind about what I wanted to be, and I changed my mind about what I wanted to do, and I changed my mind about what I wanted to be when I grew up."
— from Interview
All quotes by Mary Jackson (397)
I wanted a better future for my children.
I was a fighter for justice.
I used my voice to advocate for change.
I was a testament to the power of the human spirit.
My story is a reminder that anything is possible.
I hope my journey inspires others to reach for the stars.
I was a woman of faith and determination.
I believed in the goodness of people.
I was a quiet force, making a big impact.
My legacy is one of perseverance and progress.
I changed what I could, and I learned to accept what I couldn't.
Mathematics is the language of the universe, and I speak it fluently.
In the face of adversity, perseverance is the greatest equation.
We compute not just numbers, but the future.
A woman's place in engineering is wherever her mind takes her.
Every problem is solvable with the right formula and determination.
The trajectory of success is not straight; it's calculated with precision.
I didn't break barriers; I walked through them with equations in hand.
Numbers don't discriminate; people do.
Engineering is dreaming in variables and solving in constants.
Contemporaries of Mary Jackson
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Mary Jackson (1921–2005).