A NASA facility in Fairmont, West Virginia, will be renamed after native Katherine Johnson, a pioneering mathematician who was depicted in the 2016 film “Hidden Figures” for her critical role in the success of the U.S. reaching space.
The Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs announced the recognition of Johnson on Friday, according to The Register-Herald.
Jill Upson, the executive director of the office, reportedly spearheaded the process to have the facility renamed in 2017.
{mosads}At the time, Upson was reportedly a state delegate and had co-sponsored a bill calling on Congress to have the facility renamed to honor Johnson.
The bill was later introduced by Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va) in August before being signed into law by President Trump earlier this month.
“When I got the idea to honor Katherine Johnson in January 2017, after seeing the movie ‘Hidden Figures,’ I was pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming excitement that I was met with from people all throughout the state,” Upson said in a statement to the local paper reflecting on the renaming of the facility in addition to a recent decision from lawmakers in the state to name Aug. 26 “Katherine Johnson Day.”
“Not only was helping to create Katherine Johnson Day a great accomplishment on behalf of this brilliant West Virginian but renaming the NASA IV & V facility for her elevates her achievements in math and science to a national level,” she continued.
“Dr. Johnson literally changed the world and she is worthy of this high honor,” she added.