The ceremony took place in Emancipation Hall at the U.S. Capitol in Washington.

Congressional Gold Medals were awarded to Katherine Johnson, Dr. Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary W. Jackson in recognition of their invaluable service to the United States.

Additionally, a Congressional Gold Medal was presented to acknowledge all the women who worked as computers, mathematicians, and engineers at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and NASA from the 1930s to the 1970s.

Hosted by House Speaker Mike Johnson, the ceremony celebrated the accomplishments of Johnson, Vaughan, Jackson, and Dr. Darden, all of whom worked at NASA's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia.

“The pioneers we honor today—these hidden figures—drew on courage and imagination to take us to the Moon. Their lessons and legacy will guide us back,” stated NASA Administrator Bill Nelson.

Margot Lee Shetterly, the author of "Hidden Figures," delivered remarks at the ceremony.

Shetterly detailed the stories of the women from NASA Langley in her 2016 nonfiction book, Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race.

Although her book focused on NASA Langley—where her father worked—it helped raise awareness of similar stories within NASA.

A film adaptation featuring Taraji Henson as Johnson, Octavia Spencer as Vaughan, and Janelle Monáe as Jackson was released later that year, further highlighting their contributions.

NASA collaborated with 20th Century Fox under a Space Act Agreement, providing historical guidance during the filmmaking process.

In her speech, Shetterly emphasized that while these hidden figures made crucial contributions to NASA and NACA, they were also active in their communities, leading Girl Scout troops and delivering meals to those in need.

"They spent countless hours tutoring children so that those kids could see the power and beauty of numbers they believed in," she said.

The medal citations were as follows: