Annie Easley was a well-renowned computer scientist, rocket scientist, and mathematician who hugely impacted aerospace technology. Easley was born on April 23, 1933, in Alabama. She faced an enormous amount of adversity involving discrimination and racial segregation. Despite the number of obstacles she faced, she was determined to pursue her dreams and make a difference in the world. Annie Easley attended Tennessee State University, where she earned a degree in mathematics and chemistry. After college, she worked as a human computer at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which later became the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She worked on the Centaur rocket project, which was the first rocket to …show more content…
As written by NASA, ¨In 1955, Easley began her career as a “human computer,” doing computations for researchers. This involved analyzing problems and doing calculations by hand.¨ (Annie Easley, Computer Scientist, 2015) She wrote computer code for the Centaur rocket project and developed software for the Atlas-Agena project. She was also involved in the development of the first computer language, FORTRAN. Easley was an inspiration to many and a role model for African American women in STEM fields. She was a trailblazer in the field of computer science and rocket science, and her work helped to advance the United States space program. She was awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal in 1986 for her contributions to the space program. Annie Easley was a remarkable woman who overcame many obstacles to make a lasting impact on the world. Her legacy lives on in the work she did and the many lives she …show more content…
She was a member of the NAACP (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) and was active in the fight for women's rights and was a founding member of the National Organization for women. Later in her career, she took on the additional role of equal employment opportunity (EEO) counselor. In this role, she helped supervisors address issues of gender, race, and age in discrimination complaints at the lowest level and in the most cooperative way possible. (Annie Easley, Computer Scientist, 2015) This goes to show that Easley was such an advocate for equal rights that she would go above and beyond. Annie Easley's accomplishments were truly remarkable and often surprised people. She was a pioneer in the field of computer programming and rocket science and was a leader in the civil rights movement. Her work helped to advance the cause of equal rights for African Americans and women and her legacy will continue to inspire future