Dorothy Vaughan was an African American mathematician and computer programmer who worked at NASA during the mid-20th century. She was one of the first women to work in the Langley Research Center and played a crucial role in the early days of the space program. Vaughan was known for her expertise in FORTRAN, a programming language, and she led a team of women known as "human computers." In addition to her programming skills, Vaughan was a strong advocate for her colleagues and worked to ensure they received recognition for their contributions. She became the first African American woman to supervise a group at NASA, paving the way for future generations of women in science and technology.