Helped put an American on the moon
Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee, was the only Native American female member of a “think tank” to design manned orbital space system concepts. A gifted child, she learned early that education was valuable and it was as important for girls as for boys.
Mary Golda Ross (1908-2008)
Aerospace Pioneer
The only Native American Indian female member of a “think tank” to design manned orbital space system concepts, Mary Golda Ross (Cherokee) was born in 1908 near Park Hill, a small Oklahoma town.
A gifted child, she was taught early that education was a valuable resource, and that it was as important for girls as for boys. To receive the best opportunities for an Indian youngster of her era, Mary was sent to live with her grandparents in Tahlequah.
By age 16, she had graduated high school. She enrolled in Northeastern State Teacher’s College (also i...
