NASA’s Johnson Space Center recently celebrated the remarkable legacy of Dorothy Vaughan and the incredible women of the Apollo with a building renaming and ribbon-cutting ceremony in Houston. Among the women honored was Vivian Ayers Allen, the mother of renowned actresses Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad, who attended the event to celebrate their mother’s achievements.’
Vivian Allen, was acknowledged by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for her contributions to the field of space. During a ceremony held in their hometown of Houston on July 19, the organization honored the women who assisted with the Apollo 11 mission, ultimately leading to Neil A. Armstrong’s legendary landing on the moon in 1969, Blavity reports.
NASA praised her as “a distinguished woman of Apollo, whose remarkable contributions significantly advanced our understanding of space exploration.”
The building, formerly known as the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, was renamed the Dorothy Vaughn Center in Honor of Women of Apollo. Throughout the 1960s, women held vital positions at the space center, leaving behind an extraordinary legacy as part of the nation’s successful efforts to explore space. One of those women is Allen and Rashad’s mother, who wrote a poem titled “Hawk,” sharing the relationship between flying into space and freedom.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Allen expressed her gratitude, saying, “Our hearts are overflowing with pride and gratitude. A special thank you to NASA and the director of the Johnson Space Center, Vanessa E. Wyche, for having us!”
In a separate post, Phylicia Rashad celebrated her multifaceted mother for her lifetime of creative expression. Vivian Allen, who turned 100 in 2023, is an activist, scholar and Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet. “Thank you, Mommy, for always being and giving your best in honor of human potential.”
Vivian Allen is in a league of notable Black women who are significant contributors to America’s advancements in space, including Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, the women who inspired the film “Hidden Figures,” starring Taraji P. Henson.