In this role, she worked to influence the hiring and promotion of women in NASA's science, engineering, and mathematics careers.

[4] She grew up in Hampton, Virginia, United States of America, where she graduated from high school with the highest honors.

[5] Jackson earned bachelor's degrees in mathematics and physical science from Hampton University in 1942.

[5] In the 1970s she helped African American children in her community create a miniature wind tunnel for testing airplanes.

[7] After graduation, Mary Jackson taught mathematics for a year at an African-American school in Calvert County, Maryland.

In 1953, she accepted an offer to work for engineer Kazimierz Czarnecki in the Supersonic Pressure Tunnel.

They were offered in a night program by the University of Virginia, held at the all-white Hampton High School.

[7] Her goal was to understand air flow, including thrust and drag forces, in order to improve United States planes.

[12][15][16][17] She worked to help women and other minorities to advance their careers, including advising them how to study in order to qualify for promotions.

She decided to take a demotion in order to serve as an administrator in the Equal Opportunity Specialist field.

[6] The 2016 film Hidden Figures recounts the NASA careers of Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan working on Project Mercury during the Space Race.