[4], In 1950, Easley enrolled in classes at Xavier University in New Orleans,[3] which was then an African-American Roman Catholic University, and majored in pharmacy for about two years. African American children were educated separately from white children, and their schools were most often inferior to white schools. Easley and her brother, six years older, were raised by their single mother. Apr 23, 1933. During the 1970s Easley worked on a project examining damage to the ozone layer. (With A. F. Kascak) Bleed Cycle Propellant Pumping in a Gas-Core Nuclear Rocket Engine System, NASA Technical Memo X-2517, March 1972. The Cassini–Huygens mission, commonly called Cassini, was a collaboration between NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Italian Space Agency (ASI) to send a probe to study the planet Saturn and its system, including its rings and natural satellites. She also worked on the Centaur, a high-energy booster rocket with a mixed liquid hydrogen/liquid oxygen propulsion system. From the fifth grade through high school, Annie attended Holy Family High School, and was valedictorian of her graduating class. Backstory – Annie Easley (In-school performance). She developed and implemented computer programs for determining solar wind and for solving problems of energy monitoring and conversion, including technologies for wind power and solar energy. Annie Easley Timeline created by Kourtney Stege. She worked at NASA for over 34 years, and despite her long career and various contributions to research and development, Annie was cut out of NASA’s promotional photos. In 1957 the Soviets launched Sputnik, the first satellite to orbit the Earth, and the space race heated up. She worked as a substitute teacher in Jefferson County, Alabama, and helped blacks prepare for the literacy tests that they were required to pass in order to register to vote. NACA became NASA. Annie J. Easley (April 23, 1933 – June 25, 2011) was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist. Unfortunately, the local university had ended its pharmacy program a short time before and no nearby alternative existed. (JOHN ADAM) PRESPER, JR. 87-88. After their studies at New Orleans’ Xavier … At the time Easley was one of only four blacks among the agency's 2,500 employees. Her 34-year career included developing and implementing computer code that analyzed alternative power technologies, supported Centaur, determined solar, wind and energy projects, identified energy conversion systems and alternative systems to solve energy problems. Her legacy continues to inspire countless students to make an impact in the STEM field. Born Annie J. Easley on April 23, 1933, in Birmingham, AL; married 1954 (divorced). Taking up skiing in her 40s, she founded and served as the first president of the NASA Lewis Ski Club. [4], In 1954, she returned to Birmingham. See more Art and Culture timelines. [6], Easley's outreach for minorities did not end with her volunteer work at college career days. Annie J. Easley spent her 34-year career working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). But, Ms. Easley was an African American, who faced racial discrimination throughout her lifetime. [1][14], American mathematician and rocket scientist, "Easley, Annie J.: American Computer Scientist" in, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, List of African-American women in STEM fields, "Annie Easley helped make modern spaceflight possible", "Annie Jean Easley: Engineer, mathematician, and rocket scientist", "Meet Annie Easley, the barrier-breaking mathematician who helped us explore the solar system", "Annie Easley, Computer Scientist and Mathematician", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Annie_Easley&oldid=992113439, Wikipedia articles with SNAC-ID identifiers, Wikipedia articles with WORLDCATID identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 3 December 2020, at 15:50. . When a photo of Easley and her coworkers was enlarged for display at a laboratory open house, her face was cut out of the picture. "Annie J. Easley," World of Computer Science, Gale Group, 2002. Audience Size: 250 Number of Performances Per Day: 2 Length of Performance: 45 minutes Setup Time: 1 hour Teardown Time: 1 hour This performance supports the following NYS Learning Standards for the Arts: "Easley, Annie J. [5], Shortly thereafter, she moved to Cleveland to be closer to her husband's family,[6] with the intention of continuing her studies. Annie J. Easley was born in Birmingham, Alabama on April 23, 1933. Annie's mother told her that she could be anything she would have to work at it. Annie J. Easley (April 23, 1933 – June 25, 2011) was an African-American computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist. However, the date of retrieval is often important. Encyclopedia.com gives you the ability to cite reference entries and articles according to common styles from the Modern Language Association (MLA), The Chicago Manual of Style, and the American Psychological Association (APA). From Wiz Kid to PC Manager [3][10] Her work contributed to the 1997 flight to Saturn of the Cassini probe, the launcher of which had the Centaur as its upper stage. Computer programmers write the step-by-step instructions tha…, East African Religions: Ethiopian Religions, East African Religions: Northeast Bantu Religions, East Arkansas Community College: Distance Learning Programs, East Arkansas Community College: Narrative Description, East Arkansas Community College: Tabular Data, www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/oral_histories/NASA_HQ/Herstory/EasleyAJ/AJE_8-21-01.pdf, https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/easley-annie-j. Contemporary Black Biography. Annie J. Easley (April 23, 1933 – June 25, 2011) was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist. Because each style has its own formatting nuances that evolve over time and not all information is available for every reference entry or article, Encyclopedia.com cannot guarantee each citation it generates. However in high school she began thinking about becoming a pharmacist. From the fifth grade through high school, Annie Easley attended parochial schools in Birmingham, graduating as class valedictorian. She remembered the test giver looking at her application and saying only, "You went to Xavier University. Contemporary Black Biography. Among other projects, she simulated conditions for a nuclear reactor being constructed at Plum Creek, Ohio. She worked for the Lewis Research Center (now Glenn Research Center) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Annie J. Easley died on June 25, 2011, at the age 78. Among the developers from the pc code for NASA’s Centaur rocket stage, she was one of the primary African-American pc and rocket researchers. "African American Inventor," Southern California Edison, www.sce.com/Sc3/Templates/SupportAndervicesCategory.aspx?NRMODE=Published& NRNODEGUID=%7bC877DAF4-A8B7-492E-86EE-BFC27EA1DEA1%7d&NRORIGINALURL=%2fsc3%2fInventors%2fInventorsd-h& NRCACHEHINT=Guest (February 28, 2007). © 2019 Encyclopedia.com | All rights reserved. Annie Easley was born to Samuel Bird Easley and Mary Melvina Hoover in Birmingham, Alabama. She belonged to the Speakers Bureau and gave talks on the technological spin-offs of NASA's research. We will help you create a culture where everyone can reach their full potential. Annie Easley had never heard of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) when she read an article about twin sisters who were “human computers” at … Known as NASA's "workhorse in space," it was used to launch communications, weather, and military satellites and space vehicles, including the 1997 Cassini spacecraft to Saturn. The 55 page interview transcript includes material on the history of the Civil Rights Movement, Glenn Research Center, Johnson Space Center, space flight, and the contribution of women to space flight. It was the dawn of the space age and the United States was competing with the Soviet Union. Easley worked in the Computer Services Division, performing complex mathematical calculations for the engineering staff. Before the Civil Rights Movement, educational and career opportunities for African-American children were very limited. And if that wasn’t notable enough, Easley also did all of this as one of the first few African-Americans in her field. Two dollars." (October 16, 2020). Her computer applications have been used to identify energy conversion systems that offer the improvement over commercially available technologies. Later she became one of the first black computer programmers, working on alternative-energy technologies, energy-conservation systems, and the Centaur launch system. Easley traveled to colleges and universities, recruiting engineers for the lab. I was not intentionally trying to be a pioneer." The Annie E. Casey Foundation is devoted to developing a brighter future for children at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes. Black Contributors to Science and Energy Technology, U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Public Affairs, 1979, p. 19. This interview with Annie Easley is being conducted as part of the NASA Headquarters History Office “Herstory” Project. Mathematician, computer programmer, educator She had to pay for her own schooling, even though NASA paid tuition for others. Although NASA generally paid for work-related employee education, Easley was always turned down for aid and so she paid for her own courses. In 2000 Easley participated in the Association for Computer Machinery-Mills College Conference on Pioneering Women in Computing. She encouraged Annie to get a good education. Easley told Sandra Johnson in a 2001 interview conducted as part of NASA's History Office "Herstory" Project that "it may have something to do with going to the corner drugstore, where they had all of the candy and the ice cream.". Before the Civil Rights Movement, educational and career opportunities for African-American children were very limited. Easley was the daughter of Bud and Willie Sims McCrory of Birmingham. Although her mother told her that if she worked hard she could become whatever she wanted, Easley thought that nursing and teaching were the only careers open to black women. Therefore, it’s best to use Encyclopedia.com citations as a starting point before checking the style against your school or publication’s requirements and the most-recent information available at these sites: http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html. She encouraged Annie to get a good education. Retrieved October 16, 2020 from Encyclopedia.com: https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-papers-and-books/easley-annie-j. Glen Business and Professional Women's Organization, charter member; Greater Cleveland Ski Council, president; NASA Lewis Ski Club, founder and president; NASA Lewis Speakers Bureau. Agnesi went on to the write the earliest … Annie Easley’s extraordinary life as a computer programmer, mathematician, and rocket scientist was guided by her mother’s words of wisdom: “You can be anything you want to. [10] Despite her long career and numerous contributions to research, she was cut out of NASA's promotional photos. In the 1960s Easley returned to school, taking one class at a time. (John Adam) Presper, Jr. [7], Easley was also a budding athlete who founded and subsequently became the first President of the NASA Ski Club and participated in other local ski clubs. Encyclopedia.com. Born on April 23, 1933, in Birmingham, Alabama, Annie J. Easley was the daughter of Samuel Bird Easley and Mary Melvina Hoover. A firm believer in education and in her mother’s advice “You can be anything you want to be, but you have to work at it,” Easley was very dedicated in her outreach efforts at NASA. Warren, Wini, Black Women Scientists in the United States, Indiana University Press, 1999, pp. Education: Xavier University, New Orleans, LA, 1952-54; Cleveland State University, BS, mathematics, 1977. She worked for the Lewis Research Center (now Glenn Research Center) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). ." This was one of the formal ways that she helped her supervisors at NASA address discrimination complaints from all levels. Easley's social life was centered at Lewis. Born Annie J. Easley on April 23, 1933, in Birmingham, AL; married 1954 (divorced). "Annie J. Easley," NASA Oral History, www.jsc.nasa.gov/history/oral_histories/NASA_HQ/Herstory/EasleyAJ/AJE_8-21-01.pdf (February 28, 2007). In the 1970s she started taking two, then three classes, while working full-time. Annie Easley: A Lifetime of Shooting for the Stars. [12], Her 34-year career included developing and implementing computer code that analyzed alternative power technologies, supported the Centaur high-energy upper rocket stage, determined solar, wind and energy projects, identified energy conversion systems and alternative systems to solve energy problems. She was also responsible for monitoring electricity use at Lewis. She began her career as a mathematician and computer engineer at the NACA Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory (which became NASA Lewis Research Center, 1958–1999, and subsequently the John H. Glenn Research Center) in Cleveland, Ohio. Easley retired from NASA in 1989. Annie Easley was born to Samuel Bird Easley and Mary Melvina Hoover in Birmingham, Alabama. Encyclopedia.com. She retired in 1989. She also belonged to the running club and the Suggestion Awards Committee. She told Johnson: "I'm out here to do a job and I knew I had the ability to do it, and that's where my focus was, on getting the job done. Annie's mother told her that she could be anything she wanted but she would have to work at it. Available Tuesday and Thursday mornings, February 5 – April 25, 2019. During the late 1960s and 1970s Easley worked on nuclear-powered rocket systems. Contemporary Black Biography. Salary: Median—$62,890 per year She was a leading member of the team which developed software … [1] Before the Civil Rights Movement, educational and career opportunities for African-American children were very limited. Apart from all of her degrees and diplomas, and as part of continuous education, Annie Easley worked through specialization courses offered by NASA. [7], Throughout the 1970s, Easley advocated for and encouraged female and minority students at college career days to work in STEM careers. She also took real-estate courses and became a real-estate agent. As part of the Jim Crow laws that maintained racial inequality, African Americans were required to pass a literacy test and pay a poll tax in order to vote, which was outlawed in 1964 in the Twenty-fourth Amendment. However the only pharmacy program in the region had recently closed. With massive cuts in the NASA space program, Easley began working on energy problems. (With A. F. Kascak) Effect of Turbulent Mixing on Average Fuel Temperatures in a Gas-Core Nuclear Rocket Engine, NASA Technical Note D-4882, November, 1968. [10], Annie Easley was interviewed in Cleveland on August 21, 2001 by Sandra Johnson. One day in 1955 Easley read a newspaper story about twin sisters who worked as computers at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), NASA's predecessor at the Lewis Research Center in Cleveland. She lived there until she left for college at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Therefore, be sure to refer to those guidelines when editing your bibliography or works cited list. : Annie Easley was born to Samuel Bird Easley and Mary Melvina Hoover in Birmingham, Alabama. Discover the real story, facts, and details of Annie Easley. [13] Her energy assignments included studies to determine the life use of storage batteries, such as those used in electric utility vehicles. She was a leading member of the team which developed software for the Centaur rocket stage and she was one of the first African-American women in the field. (With others) Performance and Operational Economics Estimates for a Coal Gasification Combined-Cycle Cogeneration Powerplant, NASA Technical Memo 82729, March, 1982. An admiral who never went to sea, Hopper owed her success…, Education and Training: College In addition to the MLA, Chicago, and APA styles, your school, university, publication, or institution may have its own requirements for citations. Early life and education. Then, copy and paste the text into your bibliography or works cited list. I'd much rather be out doing something actively, like on the golf course or doing other things. Annie Easley at NASA Glenn Research Center. It doesn’t matter what you … For me, sitting still is harder than any kind of work. From the fifth grade through hi… However once she had earned her degree, the Personnel Department decided that she needed more specialized courses to be considered a professional. In Uncategorized. One of her studies involved determining the life of storage batteries used in electric vehicles. Grades: 5-12 Max. [8], In 1955, she read a story in a local newspaper about twin sisters who worked for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) as "computers". Cite this article Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. WOZNIAK, STEPHEN GARY As a black woman born before the Civil Rights Movement, her educational and career opportunities were limited. The work sounded so interesting that the following day Easley applied for a job there. It's not like this fascinating thing I play with. Before civil rights laws of the 1960s, Easley helped train African Americans to take the voting test in … Education: Xavier University, New Orleans, LA, 1952-54; Cleveland State University, BS, mathematics, 1977. BirthDate She was born in Birmingham, Alabama 1955. Employment Outlook: Fair See more » Cassini–Huygens. Subsequently, she helped other African-Americans prepare for the test. Easley told Johnson: "There was a real pride in being able to have talent, resources, and knowing that we could get in here and really, really do something great." Annie J. Easley was a computer scientist, mathematician, and a rocket scientist who worked for the Lewis Research Center of the National Aeronautics and Space administration (NASA). In 1949 two women earned the distinction of being the first African-America…, Wozniak, Stephen Gary Most online reference entries and articles do not have page numbers. Sources Annie Jean Easley was born in 1933 and raised by her single mother in Birmingham, Alabama. Easley … . She was a leading member of the team which … She worked for the Lewis Research Center (now Glenn Research Center) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). ." During her career Easley was transferred laterally three times, but did not receive any significant promotions. She did volunteer work, took up snowboarding, and served as president of the Greater Cleveland Ski Council. Easley started off studying pharmacy. Annie Easley Background Information Education Annie's mother always encouraged her to get a good education, and that's what Annie did. Explore Annie Easley's biography, personal life, family and cause of death. After studying at New Orleans' Xavier University and pursuing a career as a pharmacist, she earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics from Cleveland State University. Annie Jean Easley (born April 23, 1933 in Birmingham; died June 25, 2011 in Cleveland, Ohio) is a mathematician and computer scientist who helped develop power technology analysis software for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) . Before the Civil Rights Movement, educational and career opportunities for African-American children were very limited. She was a leading member of the team which developed software … Annie Easley, however, was all three. Since she didn't want to teach, Easley intended to become a nurse. Pick a style below, and copy the text for your bibliography. Easley sometimes traveled to Cape Canaveral, Florida, to observe the launches. Annie J. Easley (April 23, 1933 – June 25, 2011) was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist. Focused on Company Future and Minorities Office—Century 21 Beyond 2000 Realty Co., 6370 York Rd., Parma Heights, OH 44130-3051. Sammmons, Vivian Ovelton, Blacks in Science and Medicine, Hemisphere, 1990. [1] She worked for the Lewis Research Center (now Glenn Research Center[2]) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Ask one of our equity consultants to customize the right solution for your situation. She worked for the Lewis Research Center (now Glenn Research Center) of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Outside of Lewis Easley tutored school children and high-school dropouts who were returning to school. “I just thought it would be fascinating,” she said in a NASA oral history interview. In the 1970s, Easley returned to school to earn her degree in mathematics from Cleveland State, doing much of her coursework while also working full time. NACA Lewis Flight Propulsion Laboratory (later NASA Lewis Research Center, John H. Glenn Research Center), Cleveland, OH, Computer Services Division, 1955-1979, Energy Directorate, 1979-80s, Engineering Directorate, Launch Vehicles Group, 1980s-1989, mathematician and computer engineer; Century 21 Beyond 2000 Realty Co., Parma Heights, OH, agent, 1990s-. Easley was denied financial aid that other employees received for education, without explanation from the agency. Annie J. Easley (April 23, 1933 – June 25, 2011) was an African-American computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist. Eckert, J. With the introduction of electronic computers, the job titles of the human computers were changed to mathematician or math technician. "Easley, Annie J. Revitalized Ailing UNIX Division Worked at NACA ... 10 Historical Events that shaped Public Education. Annie J. Easley Interviewed by Sandra Johnson Cleveland, Ohio – 21 August 2001. She had to take a test and pay money just to vote. HOPPER, GRACE MURRAY [10] She continued her education while working for the agency, and in 1977, obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Cleveland State University. ECKERT, J. African-American children were educated separately from white children, and their schools were often inferior to white schools. To pay her tuition, Ms. Easley had to continue to work full time while she went to school part time. In 1954 she married and briefly returned to Birmingham. Easley hoped to continue her education. Therefore, that information is unavailable for most Encyclopedia.com content. She lived there until she left for college at Xavier University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Annie J. Easley (April 23, 1933 – June 25, 2011) was an American computer scientist, mathematician, and rocket scientist. For part of that period she worked a six-day flexible schedule. IBM Executive See more Uncategorized timelines. As part of a continuing education, Easley worked through specialization courses offered by NASA. She often represented NASA at school and college career days. [6], Easley's work with the Centaur project helped lay the technological foundations for future space shuttle launches and launches of communication, military and weather satellites. At NASA she took upon herself to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) counselor. Families are nothing other than the idolatry of duty. See more Biography timelines. 16 Oct. 2020 . [14] The interview is stored in the National Aeronautics and Space Administration Johnson Space Center Oral History Program. She was a leading member of the team which developed software for the Centaur rocket stage,[3] and was one of the first African-Americans to work as a computer scientist at NASA. I will get the email and I'll send it, but I don't play with it. Annie Jean Easley was born in 1933 and raised by her single mother in Birmingham, Alabama. The technical genius behind the Apple I and II microcomputers that launched Apple Computer, Inc., Stephen…, Rod Adkins 1958– d. Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, 3 June 1995), electrical engineering, computer en…, Granville, Evelyn Boyd 1924– She was raised by her mother, a great encourager, and excelled in school. Easley served as Lewis's Equal Employment Opportunity officer, investigating complaints of discrimination. ." After Easley's husband was discharged from the military, the couple moved to Cleveland, Ohio, to be near his family. [9] She applied for a job the next day, and was hired two weeks later - one of four African Americans of about 2500 employees. Toward the end, she took a three-month leave without pay to finish up, earning her Bachelor of Science degree in mathematics from Cleveland State University in 1977. New!! During her 34-year career, she worked not only on technologies that led to hybrid vehicles, but also on software that enabled great strides in spaceflight and exploration. Maria Agnesi would have received education only in religion, household management, and dressmaking were it not for her diligent mind and the interest of her father, who encouraged his daughter’s education in philosophy and science.