Why Pearl Young needed to ‘raise hell’ during NASA’s early days

Young’s story is one of persistence through setbacks, advocacy for herself and others, and building a community of support.

Thirteen years before any other woman joined the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics—or the NACA, NASA’s predecessor—in a technical role, a young lab assistant named Pearl Young was making waves in the agency. Her legacy as an outspoken and persistent advocate for herself and her team would pave the way for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics for decades to come.