The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) convened on November 17, 2020, to review and recommend designs for the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medals. These medals honor African-American women whose contributions were pivotal to NASA’s success during the Space Race.
Honorees and Medal Designs
The Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act recognizes four individual women and a collective group:
- Katherine Johnson: A mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of U.S. crewed spaceflights.
- Dr. Christine Darden: An aerospace engineer known for her research on supersonic flight and sonic booms.
- Dorothy Vaughan: A mathematician and one of NASA’s first African-American supervisors.
- Mary Jackson: NASA’s first Black female engineer.
- Collective Group: Honoring all women who contributed to NASA’s success during the Space Race.
During the meeting, the CCAC evaluated obverse and reverse design candidates for the medals honoring Katherine Johnson and Dr. Christine Darden. The designs aimed to capture the essence of their contributions and personal philosophies.
Katherine Johnson Medal
- Obverse: Features a portrait of Johnson set against a backdrop of equations used in calculating spacecraft trajectories.
- Reverse: Depicts a chalkboard diagram illustrating the Apollo 11 lunar lander docking with the command module, symbolizing her work on lunar missions.
These designs were favored by Johnson’s daughters, adding a personal endorsement to the selections.
Dr. Christine Darden Medal
- Obverse: Presents Darden holding a model airplane, reflecting her aerospace engineering achievements.
- Reverse: Highlights her guiding principles—Perceive, Plan, Prepare, Persist—alongside a graph illustrating sonic boom minimization, representing her contributions to aeronautics.
The CCAC suggested modifications, such as replacing the “4 P’s” inscription with “ACT OF CONGRESS 2019” to emphasize the legislative recognition.
Legislative Background
The Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medal Act was enacted to honor these trailblazing women. The CCAC’s role in reviewing and recommending designs ensures that the medals appropriately reflect the honorees’ legacies.
Conclusion
The Congressional Gold Medal is one of the highest civilian honors in the United States, awarded to individuals or groups who have made significant contributions to the nation. The recognition of the “Hidden Figures” underscores the importance of diversity and inclusion in STEM fields and acknowledges the critical roles these women played in advancing space exploration.
The CCAC’s careful consideration of the medal designs ensures that the honorees’ contributions are commemorated with the dignity and respect they deserve, providing a lasting tribute to their enduring impact on science and society.
FAQs
What are the Hidden Figures Congressional Gold Medals?
These medals honor African-American women mathematicians and engineers who made critical contributions to NASA during the Space Race.
Who is being recognized with these medals?
The medals honor Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Christine Darden, and all women who contributed to NASA’s early success.
What role does the CCAC play in the medal design process?
The Citizens Coinage Advisory Committee (CCAC) reviews and recommends obverse and reverse designs before final approval by the U.S. Mint and Treasury Secretary.