[Congressional Record Volume 165, Number 120 (Wednesday, July 17, 2019)]
[House]
[Pages H5921-H5922]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




          CELEBRATING HIDDEN FIGURES OF ``APOLLO 11'' MISSION

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The Chair recognizes the gentlewoman from 
Florida (Ms. Wilson) for 5 minutes.
  Ms. WILSON of Florida. Mr. Speaker, 50 years ago, the Apollo 11 
mission sent a crew of pioneering women on a journey of incredible 
significance. All were astronauts.
  Symbolically, it was a representation that with enough hard work, 
dedication, and will, America could achieve the seemingly impossible.
  The mission left lasting imprints, from the eternal footprints left 
on Tranquility Base to the values engraved into an entire generation.
  The Moon landing inspired all who watched it to believe in the power 
of innovation, dedication, and most especially, unwavering courage. But 
today, I want to draw attention to some of the unseen heroes of the 
Apollo 11 mission. I will refer to them as the ``hidden figures.''
  Ms. Katherine Johnson, Ms. Dorothy Vaughan, and Ms. Mary Jackson have

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only recently been recognized for the incredible work they put into the 
mission that defined generations, thanks to the film ``Hidden 
Figures.''
  Only Ms. Johnson is still alive today to receive our overdue 
gratitude for these women.
  Before we began carrying calculators in our pockets, Ms. Johnson, Ms. 
Vaughan, and Ms. Jackson did manual calculations of astronomical 
problems using only pen and paper.
  The stakes were incredibly high. The working conditions were 
segregated and tense. Yet, these women produced work at a caliber high 
enough to send men to the surface of the Moon.
  That is what I call some Black girl magic.
  Ms. Johnson, Ms. Vaughan, and Ms. Jackson each defied intense 
discrimination and overwhelming adversity. Their lifetimes were 
metaphorical Apollo missions: astronomically successful despite all 
odds.
  But they were hidden figures. We did not know them.
  I am proud to recognize them today on the floor as women of 
distinction with unrivaled talent. I am proud to know that their 
contributions are finally being recognized.
  On a very personal note, as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, 
Inc., I am proud to call them my sisters.
  Their legacy of Black female excellence and newfound recognition will 
undoubtedly inspire a generation of young people to pursue STEM 
careers, despite whatever odds may be against them.
  Black girls can learn about the Apollo 11 mission and know that there 
are heroes who look just like them. First-generation college students, 
low-income children, and children of color can discover how it is 
possible to defy the odds with STEM.
  To help make this possible, my long-term friend and colleague from 
Florida (Mr. Posey) and I worked together to pass H.R. 2726, the Apollo 
11 50th Anniversary Commemorative Coin Act, which honors the Apollo 11 
crew, NASA scientists, engineers, astronauts, and Americans from every 
State who made the mission possible. The bill supports college 
scholarships for future scientists, engineers, and astronauts. 
Surcharges from the sale of the coins will help promote STEM education, 
space exploration, and scientific discovery.
  I am grateful that throughout my lifetime, these hidden figures have 
finally been brought into the light and celebrated in the manner they 
have deserved since 1969. They are no longer hidden. Now, we all know 
them, celebrate them, and thank God for their brilliance and 
magnificent contributions.

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