USW Local 8888 has accomplished an historic goal that will have a lasting impact on Hampton, Va., residents and will be celebrated across America. On March 14, the Hampton City Council voted unanimously to name a new neighborhood center (yet to be built) for hometown hero and NASA trailblazer Mary Jackson. She was the first African American female engineer at Langley Laboratory and one of the three black women portrayed in the Oscar-nominated movie, “Hidden Figures.”
But Ms. Jackson was so much more than a gifted engineer. She was a beloved role model who continuously gave back to her people and her community. And Jackson has a special connection with Local 8888 — her daughter is married to Raymond Lewis, Trustree.
A petition drive launched by Local 8888 a year ago was the catalyst for Hampton honoring Mary Jackson. Steelworkers collected more than 2,500 signatures in the shipyard and in the community and presented the petitions to Hampton officials last June.
Arnold Outlaw, president of USW Local 8888, who witnessed the historic vote with members of Mary Jackson’s family, said, “This is a moment of great pride for Local 8888.” He thanked everyone who signed or circulated the Mary Jackson petition. “Naming a public center for an iconic trailblazer like Mary Jackson is a legacy-defining accomplishment for our union, which is celebrating our 40th anniversary this year,” he said.
Outlaw said, “Once the Mary Jackson Neighborhood Center is built, the young people who enter, especially young girls, can feel a sense of pride and connection to the name of a strong, brilliant black woman. Hopefully, it will inspire them to believe that they, too, can reach their dreams.”