Hidden Figures Recognized Women Bronze Medal

Women who worked at NASA served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the Nation’s confidence, turned the Space Race to the United States’ favor, and galvanized the world.

The obverse (heads) depicts a group of women in silhouette looking on as the Apollo 11 successfully puts the first men on the Moon. The figures are symbolic of the “hidden” nature of the many women, including those of color, who served as mathematicians and engineers, making significant contributions to the success of the space program while working for the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (later reformulated into NASA) from the 1930s to 1970s. By placing the women in silhouette, they appropriately represent any and all of the women to be honored by this medal.

The reverse (tail) features the constellation Andromeda as a nod to the significant space program and aeronautics contributions made by the women being honored. Andromeda is also known as “the Chained Woman,” which is symbolic of the obstacles and difficulties overcome by the women whose contributions are finally being recognized and celebrated – breaking the chains of gender and racial constraints. The inscriptions are “HIDDEN FIGURES” and “ACT OF CONGRESS 2019.”