Uploaded January 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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Dr. Gladys West (1930–2026)
The mathematician who helped the world find itself.
Born on a farm in Dinwiddie County, Virginia, during the Great Depression, Dr. Gladys West rose through segregation, exclusion, and invisibility to become one of the foundational minds behind GPS technology.

Her precise mathematical modelling of the Earth made satellite navigation possible—impacting everything from aviation and disaster response to smartphones and global logistics.
For decades, her contributions went unrecognized.
But her legacy was never small.
May we honour her brilliance.
May we remember her name.
And may future generations of Black mathematicians walk further because she paved the way.

Rest in power, Dr. Gladys West.
#GladysWest #BlackMathematicians #BlackWomenInSTEM #Sankofa #STEMHistory #GPS #BlackHistoryEveryDay