Dorothy Vaughan
An American mathematician who worked for NASA and was one of the agency's first African-American managers.
Most quoted
"I saw the writing on the wall and I got into the computer business. I'm not going to sit around and wait for them to tell me what to do."
— from Biography/Interviews, 1960
"Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men."
— from Interview, 1980
"I always said, 'If you're going to do something, do it right.' Especially if it's sending someone into space."
— from Fictionalized accounts/interpretations
All quotes by Dorothy Vaughan (374)
We were doing work that was vital to the country, and we took it seriously.
I taught myself FORTRAN. I taught my girls FORTRAN.
There was no choice but to learn. If you didn't learn, you were out.
We were not just 'computers,' we were mathematicians.
I always tried to be fair, and to treat everyone with respect.
The work was challenging, but that's what made it interesting.
We proved that women, and black women, could do this work.
I never let anyone tell me I couldn't do something.
We were integrated, but it wasn't always easy.
I just focused on the work, and doing it right.
You have to be willing to change, or you'll be left behind.
I wanted to make sure my girls had the skills they needed for the future.
We were doing the calculations that put men in space.
Don't be afraid to learn new things.
I always tried to be a good example.
We were a team, and we worked together to solve problems.
The work spoke for itself.
I believed in myself, and I believed in my team.
We were breaking barriers without even realizing it sometimes.
I just wanted to do the best job I could.
Contemporaries of Dorothy Vaughan
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Dorothy Vaughan (1910–2008).