During the Space Race, African American women played a crucial role in NASA's success.
These women were known as 'human computers' and were responsible for performing complex calculations by hand.
Despite facing discrimination and segregation, these women persevered and made significant contributions to NASA's missions.
One of the most notable 'hidden figures' was Katherine Johnson, who calculated trajectories for the first American in space and the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Other notable women include Mary Jackson, who became NASA's first African American female engineer, and Dorothy Vaughan.
The contributions of these women were largely unrecognized until the publication of Margot Lee Shetterly's book 'Hidden Figures' and the subsequent film adaptation.
Their stories have inspired a new generation of women and people of color to pursue careers in STEM fields.