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West Virginia State Alumna, Inspiration for ‘Hidden Figures’ Katherine Johnson Dies
Katherine Johnson, a West Virginia State College alumna who rose to prominence through the cinematic portrayal of her work as a pioneering mathematician, died today in Newport News, Va.
The 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom award recipient was one of NASA’s human ‘computers’ who helped to develop mathematical formulas aiding in the early success of the aeronautics agency’s missions to the moon. A key character in the 2016 release of ‘Hidden Figures,’ her life became a national subject of interest and inspiration.
Tuskegee Unveils Lost Speeches of Civil Rights Icons
The voices of prominent black activists who visited and made speeches at Tuskegee University in the golden years of the Civil Rights Movement have been revived at the university, thanks to the unveiling of a unique digital archiving effort.
Tuskegee’s ‘Hidden Audio Collections’ features keynote remarks made at the university between 1957 and 1971, with lecturers including Muhammad Ali, Coretta Scott King, Myrlie Evers, Dick Gregory, Former Morehouse College President Benjamin Mays, and others. The speeches, student presentations, and college events were made possible through a grant awarded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Bethune-Cookman President Gives Update on Status of University
Bethune-Cookman University President E. LaBrent Chrite provided an update for BCU stakeholders on governance, finance and strategic planning for the future. Video courtesy of the Florida Courier.
Langston Signs Partnership with NASA, to Focus on Astronaut Health and Wellness Research
A new partnership between Langston University and NASA will allow students and faculty members to help study immune system support and monitoring during long-term space flight.
News 4 in Oklahoma reports on the new initiative, a first for the state’s flagship HBCU.
NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced a new partnership with the university to study the effects of micro-gravity on astronauts– something that is key when considering long-term space travel.
“The research that will be done at Langston University is going to give us the counter measures that are necessary so humans are healthy all the way to Mars and all the way home,” Bridenstine.
Students are also focused on ways to boost astronauts’ immune systems. One strange fact about space travel is that dormant viruses– like chickenpox — can activate during space-flight
