They were intertwined in the practical reality of making a living while pursuing something more.

Black Women and Scientific Achievement

The history of Black women in American science and technology is a history of extraordinary achievement under extraordinary constraint, and Mary Kenner’s story is part of that larger history.

The broader history includes figures who have, in recent years, become more widely known: Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, whose work as mathematicians and engineers at NASA was depicted in the book and film “Hidden Figures.” These women performed scientific work of the highest importance — work that was essential to the American space program — while being denied the recognition and opportunities that were routinely extended to their white male colleagues.

Mae C.