United States Senate awarding Katherine Johnson Congressional Gold Medal

Katherine Johnson will be joined by Mary Jackson, Dr. Christine Darden, and Dorothy Vaughan in her nomination for the award. The Congressional Gold Medal is awarded to persons “who have performed an achievement that has an impact on U.S. history and culture that is likely to be recognized as a major achievement in the recipient’s field long after the achievement. It is considered to be equal to the Presidental Medal of Freedom.

“These four remarkable women and their contribution to the success of the Space Race remained unacknowledged for far too long,” Senators Mark Warner and Tim Kaine, who introduced the Senate bill, said in a shared statement. “We are thrilled that their achievements while at NASA Langley, particularly during a tough period of racial inequality, continue to be brought to light. This recognition will help carve their rightful place in history and inspire a new generation of diverse women to lead the way in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math.”

According to The Dover Post, it’s also endorsed by a number of female-led organizations including the Girl Scouts of the United States, American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, American Physical Society, Association for Women in Science, National Association for Equal Opportunity, Society of Women Engineers, the National Center for Women and Information Technology, Association for Women in Math, and many more.

Now the bill heads to the United States House of Representatives for a vote to confirm the passage of the bill for the Medals to be awarded. We will update you with the latest we have in this story.