Mary Jackson was a trailblazing African American mathematician and aerospace engineer who made significant contributions to NASA and the space race in the 20th century. Born in Hampton, Virginia in 1921, Jackson began her career at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which later became NASA, as a research mathematician in the segregated West Area Computing division.

Despite facing discrimination and segregation as a Black woman working in a predominantly white and male environment, Jackson persevered and excelled in her field. She advocated for her own advancement and became NASA's first Black female engineer in 1958. Jackson went on to conduct research on the behavior of air flow around aircraft at supersonic speeds, making critical contributions to the development of aerospace technology.

In addition to her technical accomplishments, Mary Jackson was also a mentor and advocate for other women and minorities in STEM fields. She worked to promote diversity and inclusion within NASA and inspire future generations to pursue careers in science and engineering.

Mary Jackson's story was brought to a wider audience through the book and movie "Hidden Figures," which highlighted the contributions of Jackson and her fellow African American women mathematicians, Katherine Johnson and Dorothy Vaughan, to the early space program. Jackson's legacy continues to inspire and empower individuals to break barriers and pursue their dreams in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.