November 8, 2024 • 31 mins
Nimene heads to outer space to make a brand new hip-hop track about Mary Golda Ross, the very first Native American female aerospace engineer. Featuring an interview between aerospace engineer Kristina Halona, a proud member of the Navajo Nation, and Vivian, an Odawa and Haudenosaunee 8 year old from Ohio.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Hey, listeners, Niminy here, host of historical records.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Get ready to hear about a historical hero through hip hop.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Also, parents and teachers, you can download a free activity
related to today's episodes by visiting story pirates dot com.
Slash historical records, and now onto the show. After a
few words for the grown ups, that's stuck to me
(00:33):
another hour. We don't have that kind of time, Tina.
The spaceship is scheduled to blast off in one minute.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
One minute.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Ill un.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Look, Tina, I don't care if my face is on
the outside anymore, so long as it flies through space.
Forget my gorgeous exterior design. Just make sure we have
a sturdy vessel.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Tina's gonna dry.
Speaker 5 (00:57):
But the time in this night, Tina's gonna move.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Fill the hype man gets it, raccoons, let's fire up
dan Jack. Hey listeners. As you can likely tell, you
caught me at a pretty tense moment. I am sitting
inside a homemade rocket and am about to launch into space.
Why are we doing this well, Tina, I am determined
(01:21):
to be the first person in history to record a
song in space. Oh, I got the idea from today's hero.
I don't know that much about her, but Mary Golda
Ross is a NASA legend and it got me thinking
about space.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Okay, and second til blasto.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Tina, please tell me we're ready. I'm just you know,
about to get blasted into the great unknown. I need
to know the rocket. It's good to go. I'm good.
Oh this is gonna it close. Yes, you did it, raccoons,
Here we.
Speaker 6 (01:54):
Go, Three till one Lassa.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
That didn't sound good. It almost sounded like the engine exploded. Okay,
that definitely sounded like the engine exploded.
Speaker 7 (02:15):
Its historical record.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You are now listening to historical were.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
To make history, you got to have struggles to make history.
You got to show poised. Cannot be quiet loud. That's
a riot to make history. You gotta make some noise.
Hi listeners, Niminy here welcoming you back to historical records.
As you know, this is the show where I spearhead
daring experiments that combine history and hip hop. Unfortunately, we
(02:48):
are off to a bad start today because the spaceship
mostly built by my raccoon assistant, exploded. That's true, Tina,
it was not all your fault. It was most your
fault anyway, listeners. The good news is that today's historic
figure knows a lot about spaceships. So I am really
(03:10):
hoping to get some inspiration or even directly snack some
first hand space knowledge. Let's head to the library to
find my historian, Gape. What is that zap noise.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
About, Hi, Niminy Gabe book.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
You just appeared from nowhere?
Speaker 8 (03:27):
Actually, I appeared from somewhere. I teleported here from the beach.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Is that why you're wearing those Neon red aviator sunglasses?
Speaker 8 (03:34):
No, that's why I'm wearing these flippers. These sunglasses are
my new history simulator.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
How futuristic and practical.
Speaker 8 (03:44):
Indeed, I realized that if I could just figure out
how to teleport our bodies through space, then we wouldn't
need some big honking machine to get us around. We
could just appear anywhere in history without causing a stir.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
I can't believe you figured out how teleportation works.
Speaker 8 (04:00):
It took me all weekend, which was pretty annoying, but
I got there. Eventually. Turns out it's all just math.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Since one has one of my historians become a math expert.
Speaker 8 (04:09):
History is my area of expertise, but math, math is
my passion everybody needs a hobby, Niminy.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I feel like I'm learning a lot about you today.
But wait, Gabe, teleportation just moves people from place to place.
History simulators don't just need to be able to move
through space. They also need to be able to move
through time.
Speaker 8 (04:30):
I was nervous about that too, But luckily time and
space are inextricably tied together, so we should be able
to get anywhere we need.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
How does that work?
Speaker 8 (04:39):
Time is just a line, hence the phrase timeline That
means that any date in the past is just a
location on that line. You follow, I.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Do, But you're really surprising me today with this expert
level math and time travel knowledge. I feel like I'm
meeting a whole new Gabe.
Speaker 8 (04:57):
Oh, I'm a very different game than I was yesterday,
in a very different game than I'll be tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
That is, if everything goes according to.
Speaker 8 (05:03):
Plan, you know, Niminy, change is the only constant.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Ain't that the truth? Now?
Speaker 8 (05:09):
Shall we zap our way straight into the life of
Mary Golde Ross?
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Absolutely? But Gabe, how am I supposed to get around
If you're the one wearing the history simulator glasses?
Speaker 8 (05:21):
I made you your own pair.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Fantastic news for the both of us.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Here you go, and off we head to the National
Mall in Washington, d C.
Speaker 8 (05:29):
Two thousand and four.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Oh, what's it the big Don't.
Speaker 8 (05:33):
Worry, we'll reappear momentarily.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Here we are. Huh the teleportation sunglasses worked. By the way,
what was that white void we passed through?
Speaker 8 (05:45):
No clue, but I'm really hoping we never get stuck
in there anyway. Welcome to DC.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yes, it's so muggy here is it summer?
Speaker 8 (05:55):
It's early fall actually, But people forget our nation's capital
was built on a swamp next of the Potomac River.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
The air is so soggy I can barely see where
we are.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Also, the lenses on these sunglasses are incredibly dark.
Speaker 8 (06:08):
Both true statements. I can barely see as well. But
I happen to know. We are a little less than
a mile from the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and
the White House.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Cooco, go go co co cool. But Gabe, who is
that ninety year old woman in that stunningly beautiful ancestral
Cherokee dress? And why is she leading that processional?
Speaker 8 (06:30):
That's Mary Goldo Ross.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I suppose I should have seen that coming.
Speaker 8 (06:33):
And she's leading a procession of Indigenous people to celebrate
the opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
That seems less obvious but makes perfect sense. Huh. If
she was chosen to lead the processional, she must be
pretty important.
Speaker 8 (06:49):
Her legacy, much like space, is immeasurable. She made a
massive impact in US history, Cherokee history, and the space race.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Space race, you mean the competition between the US and
the Soviet Union to have superior spaceflight capabilities.
Speaker 8 (07:05):
That's the one, and Mary was right in the middle
of it. She was a brilliant mathematician specializing in aeronautics,
so she helped write NASA's manuals for manned spaceflights, all
while being a proud Cherokee.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
This woman is awesome, And as someone who is hoping
to get into space herself, maybe we could back up
a bit and see how she got here. I'd love
to get away closer look at some of her technical
know how. That way, maybe a certain podcast host can
try to get her rocket ship to take off. You
know what I mean.
Speaker 8 (07:35):
You will need to put your sunglasses back.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
On ready set telaport disappearing passing through the weird White
boyd and.
Speaker 8 (07:47):
Reappearing Santa Fe, New Mexico in nineteen forty two.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Ooh, it's hot hair too, but dry as a sand sandwich.
Speaker 8 (07:56):
My lips are getting chapped just standing here. Let's head
inside that school.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Oh wow, speaking of dry, look at that math equation.
Mary Golda Ross is riding on the chalkboard.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Very good, pretty complicated stuff to be sure.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
All right, those kids were saved by the bell help.
But wait, is she helping that young woman after hours?
Speaker 8 (08:18):
Indeed she is, because Mary was a math teacher and
advisor for Native American girls in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
And now her classroom phone is ringing. This woman is busy.
Speaker 8 (08:30):
You have no idea. This is her literally answering the
call to help the nation in nineteen forty two when
World War II broke out.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
How could a math teacher with a master's degree help
the nation during war?
Speaker 8 (08:43):
First, she joined the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. Next, she used
math to keep fighter jets from falling apart while flying
close to the speed of sound.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Sounds like we should speed to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation so
we can see her work.
Speaker 5 (08:57):
First, sand to Lockheed in nineteen seven. Ready study teleport.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
And our bodies are disappearing.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
A quick way to the scary white board.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
And now we're at Luckheed, finally a place with a
temperate climate. Gabe, is it just me? Or is Mary
the only woman here?
Speaker 8 (09:17):
The only other woman was the secretary.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
And look at her tools. A slide ruler and the
world's largest calculator.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
That's called a freedom calculator.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Greatly amazing the things she worked on planes with these
totally old school tools. Hey, why is everyone at Lockheed
in such a huge hurry?
Speaker 5 (09:37):
Remember they're in a race, a space race, right?
Speaker 1 (09:40):
But how did the space race begin? Why was everyone
suddenly so desperate to get into space?
Speaker 8 (09:46):
After World War Two, the United States and the Soviet
Union got into a heated competition called the Cold War,
and a big part of that struggle was over the
control of space.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Gotcha? So everyone's eyes were on the stars.
Speaker 8 (10:00):
And in nineteen fifty seven, the Soviets launched the first
ever satellite into orbit, which was called Sputnick.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
So Mary and all her colleagues are trying to catch up.
Speaker 8 (10:10):
It was all hands on deck for US scientists, engineers,
and mathematicians. But eventually Mary went to NASA.
Speaker 5 (10:18):
Shall we join her there on your marks? Get set teleports.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
I'm terrifying, my good I.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Don't work here, but welcome to NASA.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Ooh, look, Mary is over there. Let's go check out
what she's working on. See if maybe I can learn
how to get a spaceship in the air.
Speaker 8 (10:37):
Okay, but we should probably try not to be noticed
because most of what Mary's working on is top secret.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
You're totally right, Gabe. It says top secret right on
top of the manual she's typing up. I feel like
we're in a spy movie from the looks of it.
Speaker 8 (10:52):
The thing that she's working on is the operational requirements
for a spacecraft jack Pot.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
That's exactly what I mean, you need to get my
spacecraft into space. Just gonna write a couple things down.
Speaker 8 (11:05):
That manual is an absolutely vital part of the Apollo program.
And you see that pile of papers on her desk. Oh,
that's gonna turn into NASA's Planetary Flight Handbook.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Isn't that NASA's comprehensive guide to space travel?
Speaker 5 (11:19):
Sure is doubbleteg bood.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Just gonna take a couple more notes here, and.
Speaker 8 (11:25):
This report over here is full of preliminary concepts for
flights to Mars and Venus.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Are you saying that Mary laid the groundwork for missions
that haven't yet come to fruition. I am Oh, she's
so cool. I love learning about cool people.
Speaker 8 (11:41):
You're not alone, which is why there's a sculpture of
her at Buffalo State College. Also, there's a painting by
Cherokee artist America Meredith at the Smithsonian National Museum of
the American Indian that we have to go see.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
It better be her against a starry rocket filled sky.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
That is exactly what it is. How did you know that? Good? Guess?
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Tward time.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
And we're back to the Smithsonian.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Lock there's our painting, Mary Golde Ross in Space. It's
absolutely stunning. Well, let's get closer.
Speaker 8 (12:16):
The painting is entitled ad Astra per Astra, which means
to the stars from the stars and a reference to
a Cherokee origin story about how humans arrived on Earth
from the Pleiades.
Speaker 5 (12:28):
Let's take a closer look.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Look at all this detail. Wow, this painting is packed
with symbolism. I actually know about this.
Speaker 8 (12:37):
Say more.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Okay, First, there's this seven pointed star, which references the
seven Sisters constellation Bingo. Second you have the seven clans
of the Cherokee Bengo. And last you have got the
seven directions in Cherokee cosmology Bongo Niminy.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
I had no idea.
Speaker 8 (12:57):
You knew all that.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
It's pretty amaze the stuff that will float around in
your noodle from high school history. But Gabe, what is
that spacecraft in the painting?
Speaker 8 (13:07):
That is the agent a spacecraft? It was a versatile
American rocket and satellite bus used by NASA and the
US Air Force for tons of projects.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Oh and look at this Marry quote below the painting.
To function efficiently in today's world, you need math. The
world is so technical. If you plan to work in it,
a math background will let you go farther and faster.
Speaker 8 (13:28):
She was truly an example of how important math is
for everyone.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
To be honest, I didn't realize how important math is
and making so many big things happen in the real world.
I kind of feel my way through a lot in life. Nimity.
Speaker 8 (13:42):
Can I ask you, were you using any math to
try to record a song in space?
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Absolutely? One rocket ship plus one song equals one space song. Oh,
I realized now it was a little simple.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
I admire your gumption and it got you on your way.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
True, and now than to Mary, I have got the
goods and I am ready to try again. Speaking of which,
are you ready to head back home?
Speaker 5 (14:06):
Actually, I'm going to teleport into the White Void?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
What what game?
Speaker 8 (14:10):
It's so endless and blank, trust me, I know, but
seeing how fearless Mary Golder Ross was made me realize
it was time to face my fears.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Well, good luck with that game. I obviously want the
full report. As for me, I'm headed back to the bunker.
Activate teleport. Bye. Who I am back in the here
and now da come take a look at these notes
(14:42):
I took. I have some serious improvements on the construction
and operation of our rocket ship. Yeah, I know, pretty
smart stuff, right? Can you make these changes? Fantastic? And
while they are working on the rocket ship, I'm gonna
(15:02):
go ahead and get in my space suit. I'll see
it's probably for the best. We didn't actually get into
space last time. We didn't even have a proper protocol. Huh.
I'm in, And now that I am suited up, I
am going to go ahead and get inside. Welcome, thanks
(15:22):
robot voice. Wow, it is starting to look good in here.
Tina what's the word that was quick? I suppose when
you're not guessing how to build a spaceship, it's a
lot easier. Huh. Well, thanks to Marigold Ross for straightening
out our space aspirations and making this possible. Robot boys,
(15:45):
let's get this thing going and seconds. Listeners, we are
about to make some history by making music about some
history and featuring one of today's special guests, Crystal.
Speaker 7 (15:59):
Light It Nie for three Mass. I go by the
(16:21):
name of Mary Golda Ross, aka the first known Native
American female aerospace engineer. I am a mathematician, I am
a Cherokee, and I am a trailblazer.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
Here we go.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
I was born in Oklahoma nineteen o eight, a small
town called park Hill, Whard. Life wasn't so great, but
from a very early age I showed a growth rate
at learning to compute, to count and cold. Late, I
had a mind for math and I got mathem my mind.
But for Native girls, you'll find it wasn't a good time.
But I'm a great grand.
Speaker 9 (16:57):
Child of a Cherokee.
Speaker 7 (16:59):
GI me a healthless belief. Those around me, they often
agreed spend my next few years with their help.
Speaker 9 (17:06):
In pursuit of my dreams knowledge.
Speaker 7 (17:08):
I sought it college with plots, math class, I taught
it masters.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
I got it.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
But after the next chapter in my biography, one in
which the prodigy in geometry wants to honestly do astronomy.
But misogyny in the field is the quantity of females
that's near zero.
Speaker 9 (17:27):
It's hard to see a past if you can't see
a hero.
Speaker 7 (17:30):
So we roll back to a reservation. I worked in education.
Maybe my dream was dead and men instead for the
next generation.
Speaker 9 (17:38):
I never know where my pathletes plot. I solved all
my problems. I got math, lets, married gold.
Speaker 7 (17:45):
I plus remember me check my legacy engineer and Cherokee.
I did I advise the kids right?
Speaker 9 (17:52):
But I felt I never ever really get that big life.
Speaker 7 (17:55):
But then Germany starts picking a big fight, and my
world changes quick overnight.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
You might not know, but.
Speaker 7 (18:02):
In World War Two, men were overseas siegings, so the
girls would do new jobs that before would never hurt
towards you.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
A new world soars through.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
And I'm world for you. So what Stava signed?
Speaker 7 (18:14):
Search for the sign and the coast sign. I headed
for the coastline to lock Heed on a course I
was charged in, a few didn't and a few I
was starting at the job I always wanted do, an
aeronautics making military place started silivery and rockets.
Speaker 9 (18:31):
Finally had that money in my pockets on a trade with.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Nope stopping within the war stopped, and then the men
came home. So then I didn't know if they'd let
me do that work.
Speaker 9 (18:43):
An needs more.
Speaker 7 (18:44):
Once again, Mary Bosses at a cross roads, at a
lost or where to go?
Speaker 5 (18:49):
Oh no, I.
Speaker 9 (18:51):
Never know where My pat leads plat us alve all
my problems. I am at leads married go up.
Speaker 7 (18:58):
Plus remember me check my legacy engineer and there at.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
The squeze, make him say.
Speaker 7 (19:14):
Take a girl multiplier with some passion and actions attract
all distraction, add a little traction and a fraction, a
fashion and a glass ceiling. Would you get the answer?
Speaker 9 (19:25):
Risk, Mary Ross.
Speaker 7 (19:27):
And if they would have said you can't do Matthew anymore,
I'd be very cross. That would be a scary thought,
because my mind absorbing all these facts like the water,
and my brain is made of terry claws. Yes, what
I was so good that they kept me here? Pay
for me to train again to be an engineer. Say
for twenty plus years, earn my pension here and did
even more things than I can mention here. Most of
(19:50):
it is classified, but the fe to say you got
Mary Ross to think for your flights today only woman
in the room where the fellas is with the melanine
helping then new tech development and writing manuals for the
skunk Works. And after I retired, I'm inspiring the young squirts,
helping kids who look like me do what I did,
(20:11):
be a hero so they could dream big.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Je squeeze, make.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Him say squeeze.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
We'll be right back after a few words for the
grown ups.
Speaker 7 (21:02):
Landing in the three te ones, a.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Flawless re entry and landing. I sure am glad to
be back home. Now. Let me just push the button
to open the spaceship door.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
Raccoons, we did it.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
We recorded a song in space.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Yah, how she did it?
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (21:25):
First, you need to record a song edge first.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Hey, it's my high fant Phil.
Speaker 5 (21:31):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Yeah, Phil's here here in person and the spirit.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Well, thanks to everyone for being my welcome committee, Phil, Tina,
other nameless Raccoons. When I was recording that absolute smash
hit of a tune in deep Space, I realized something.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
They did and now used to tell us spool.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
I realized I use math all the time in music.
Music and math are like time and space, inextricably to same.
Speaker 6 (22:00):
All.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Phil doesn't get it yet.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Think about it, Phil, Rhythms, patterns, intervals, scales, the notations
of a composer communicate the sounds that a musician needs
to make. It all involves mass.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Music, man and blood is grateful exactly.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Oh now, everyone, if you'll excuse me, my Space mission
went a touch too long and I have to head
to my interview stat.
Speaker 5 (22:26):
Wait, nmity, I have a question.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
What is it, Phil? And why do you suddenly sound
so earnest?
Speaker 5 (22:32):
Can you send me into space?
Speaker 4 (22:34):
I'm really excited for you, but I'm also extremely jealous.
Speaker 5 (22:37):
It was my childhood dream calling a mission to space.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
I honestly just stumbled into this whole highbad thing, which
is great, don't get me wrong, but space that was
my first love.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Phil. I'm so glad you said something. I'd be thrilled
to lend you my rocket ship. Really under one condition.
Speaker 5 (22:56):
Phil will do anything you ask.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I need you to promise that you'll keep Space totally hyped.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Oh yeah, space man, combinding my job am.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
My Tina please help fill into space. Thanks team, and
now for today's interview, we have two really special guests
joining us. Please welcome Christina and Vivian.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Please introduce yourselves.
Speaker 10 (23:29):
Yeah, eh Sha Christina Helna Yinishia sitting on Jenny Nishtafni
bashish chin ttich ain'ty dashi che ashiha Dashanela.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Hi.
Speaker 10 (23:40):
My name is Christina Helna and I am the Black
Streak Wood People Clan born for the Folded Arms People Clan.
The Bitter Water Clan is my maternal grandfather's clan and
the Salt Clan is my paternal grandfather's clan. I am
Navajo originally from the Nawaha Reservation from Samila, Arizona. I
am the intio's Rocket Systems Engineering program Men. You're at NORTHFORLK.
(24:00):
Grumman Corporation in Chandler, Arizona. Hi.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
My name is Vivian. I am eight years old. I
live in Ohio. I am Odawa in Hana, Nashoni. My
name is Alway Hunted.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
I'm so happy to have both of you here. Let's
start off with your first question.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
Vivian, how do you know you wanted to be an engineer?
Speaker 10 (24:22):
Great question, Vivian. I actually knew I wanted to be
an Internet at a very young age, which is very rare.
I was probably about your age, maybe even a year
or two younger than you are right now. I saw
an airplane go by above me, and I'd asked my
mom what was that, and she told me what it was,
and I was like, was there people on there? I
(24:43):
was just asking all kinds of questions and she was
just like, okay, well, have to take it to the library.
I checked out books about airplanes and astronauts and space
and rockets, and when I found out who designs rockets
and airplanes, I found out was an aerospace engineer, and
so that's what I said I was going to do.
(25:05):
I was like, I want to make things fly. I
want to do that.
Speaker 6 (25:08):
What does it feel like to be an engineer?
Speaker 10 (25:11):
Well, Vivian, it actually feels pretty amazing, you know, especially
as a Native American woman. There's not many of us
in the stem field.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
You know.
Speaker 10 (25:19):
Mary Ross was the very first Native American engineer at
Lockheed and just in general in the world, and you know,
I just kind of use her path. She would work
very hardy get where she was and she was making
great waved links to do what she loved and I'm
going to do the same. And how she inspired individuals
Native Americans alight like myself to pursue a STEM degree.
(25:42):
She was definitely someone I looked up to and I'm
hoping I'm able to inspire others as well, just telling
the young Indigenous kids out there that they can do
anything they want. They can be an engineer like myself
and Mary Ross.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Mary Ross is so inspirational. Can you tell us a
little more about what she worked on, Christina?
Speaker 10 (26:02):
She worked on very different projects. One of them you
might not be aware with, Vivian because you're so young,
is the skunk Works project at Lackey Martin. Then they
did a lot of classified projects what they called skunk Works.
The bomber there. They really quiet airplane that makes no
noise when it's flying up above. Like she gets to
t got to work up really cool projects like that.
(26:23):
She was amazing.
Speaker 6 (26:24):
What was your favorite thing in school?
Speaker 10 (26:27):
Sciences was actually my favorite, just because you got to
do a little bit of everything. And then what got
me really interested in what I'm doing right now as
an engineer in general is learning about physics and working
on bottle rockets and the Newton's laws and all that
craziness growing up. You know, I also like arts and
crafts too, which is a little bit different than a
(26:49):
little bit different than my engineering background. But you know,
growing up, I used to watch my grandmother and grandparents
leave rugs, so they had to use actually math to
to do thatgure out how the rug weaving would go,
how the patterns would look like, and to have to
think about that ahead of time. My grandparents also did
a lot of drawings and pottery, and so seeing that
(27:09):
as a child kind of made me appreciate the arts
a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Oh, your grandparents sound really talented, Vivian. You're interested in
art too.
Speaker 6 (27:17):
Right, I think I like drawing.
Speaker 10 (27:20):
What do you like to draw?
Speaker 6 (27:22):
Sometimes I just draw Star Wars?
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Oh?
Speaker 10 (27:25):
You like Star Wars? What's your favorite character?
Speaker 6 (27:28):
M R too D two You know what?
Speaker 10 (27:31):
So do? I I love R two, D two and
CP three to Oh. I call them their besties because
they're always together.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Hey, now that I think about it, R two, D
two and C three PO were probably built by engineers.
Thank you both for joining me today.
Speaker 10 (27:48):
Viviana, so nice to meet you.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
Nice to meet you too. Thank you, Christina.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Bye, Thank you bye, listeners. Thanks for joining me today
for hours epic. Pretty amazing. We made it so far
into space and back, well almost all of us. I
still haven't heard from Gabe. Gabe, You're back and right
on time.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
Hey, Nimity, How was the infinite White Void?
Speaker 8 (28:15):
Very intimidating at first and then very calming?
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Calming?
Speaker 8 (28:20):
Turns out a place without time and space can be
pretty chill. Nowhere to be no time crunch for anything.
I'm pretty sure I spent years there.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Oh, but you mention it. You are glowing slightly.
Speaker 8 (28:35):
Also, it was hard to sleep because it was so bright,
So I think I'm gonna go lay down.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Totally nice to catch up and hear about your mind
bending adventure. Listeners. We'll talk before we dive into Mary's legacy.
I had no idea math played such a big role
in my life. Are there ways that math plays a
big role in your daily lives? I'd love to know
anyway us Thanks to today's guests Vivian, Crystal and Christina
(29:05):
Remember Parents and Teachers. You can download a free activity
related to today's episode by visiting story pirates dot com.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Slash Historical Records.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
And I can't wait to go on another adventure with
you all very soon. Until next time it's face. Don't
forget to make history. You gotta make some noise and
possibly explode a spaceship engine or two bye.
Speaker 11 (29:40):
Historical Records is produced in partnership with Story Pirate Studios,
Questlove's two on five Entertainment John Blickman and iHeart Podcasts
Executive produced by Emir Questlove, Thompson, John Glickman, Le Overtree
and Benjamin Salga. Executive produced for iHeart Podcasts by Noah Brown.
(30:00):
Producers for Story Pirate Studios are Isabella Riccio, Sam Bear,
Carrit Gerson, Andrew Miller, Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney and niminy Ware.
Producers for two one five are Sean ge Britney, Benjamin
and Sarah Zolman. Hosted by niminy Ware. Our head writer
is Duke Doyle. Our historians are Gabe Pacheco and Lee Polus.
(30:22):
Music supervision for two one five by Stroe Elliott. Scoring
and music supervision for Story Pirate Studios by Eric Gerson.
Speaker 8 (30:30):
Sound designed and mixing by Sam.
Speaker 11 (30:31):
Bear at the Relic Room in New York City. Song
mastering by Josh Han theme song by Dan Foster and
Eric Gerson and produced by Eric Erson. Production coordination by
Isabelle Riccio, Production management by Maggie Lee. The line producer
for story Pired Studios is Glennis Brault. Pr for Story
Pired Studios is provided by Naomi Shaw. Episode artwork by
(30:54):
Camilla Franklin. This episode was written by Duke Doyle. The
song Mary golda Ross was written by Dan Foster and
Niminy Ware and produced by Micah James with vocal direction
and additional music supervision by Jack Mitchell. Additional recording at
Red Room Studios in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Special guests Crystal Lightning,
Christina Helona and Kid interviewer Vivian. This episode features performances
(31:19):
by Sarah Elizabeth Haynes, Peter McNerney, Lee Overtree, and Gabe Pacheco.
Special thanks to David Kurns and Joey Clift
Hey, listeners, Niminy here, host of historical records.
Speaker 2 (00:06):
Get ready to hear about a historical hero through hip hop.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Also, parents and teachers, you can download a free activity
related to today's episodes by visiting story pirates dot com.
Slash historical records, and now onto the show. After a
few words for the grown ups, that's stuck to me
(00:33):
another hour. We don't have that kind of time, Tina.
The spaceship is scheduled to blast off in one minute.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
One minute.
Speaker 4 (00:40):
Ill un.
Speaker 1 (00:44):
Look, Tina, I don't care if my face is on
the outside anymore, so long as it flies through space.
Forget my gorgeous exterior design. Just make sure we have
a sturdy vessel.
Speaker 4 (00:56):
Tina's gonna dry.
Speaker 5 (00:57):
But the time in this night, Tina's gonna move.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Fill the hype man gets it, raccoons, let's fire up
dan Jack. Hey listeners. As you can likely tell, you
caught me at a pretty tense moment. I am sitting
inside a homemade rocket and am about to launch into space.
Why are we doing this well, Tina, I am determined
(01:21):
to be the first person in history to record a
song in space. Oh, I got the idea from today's hero.
I don't know that much about her, but Mary Golda
Ross is a NASA legend and it got me thinking
about space.
Speaker 2 (01:36):
Okay, and second til blasto.
Speaker 1 (01:39):
Tina, please tell me we're ready. I'm just you know,
about to get blasted into the great unknown. I need
to know the rocket. It's good to go. I'm good.
Oh this is gonna it close. Yes, you did it, raccoons,
Here we.
Speaker 6 (01:54):
Go, Three till one Lassa.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
That didn't sound good. It almost sounded like the engine exploded. Okay,
that definitely sounded like the engine exploded.
Speaker 7 (02:15):
Its historical record.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
You are now listening to historical were.
Speaker 1 (02:23):
To make history, you got to have struggles to make history.
You got to show poised. Cannot be quiet loud. That's
a riot to make history. You gotta make some noise.
Hi listeners, Niminy here welcoming you back to historical records.
As you know, this is the show where I spearhead
daring experiments that combine history and hip hop. Unfortunately, we
(02:48):
are off to a bad start today because the spaceship
mostly built by my raccoon assistant, exploded. That's true, Tina,
it was not all your fault. It was most your
fault anyway, listeners. The good news is that today's historic
figure knows a lot about spaceships. So I am really
(03:10):
hoping to get some inspiration or even directly snack some
first hand space knowledge. Let's head to the library to
find my historian, Gape. What is that zap noise.
Speaker 5 (03:22):
About, Hi, Niminy Gabe book.
Speaker 1 (03:24):
You just appeared from nowhere?
Speaker 8 (03:27):
Actually, I appeared from somewhere. I teleported here from the beach.
Speaker 1 (03:31):
Is that why you're wearing those Neon red aviator sunglasses?
Speaker 8 (03:34):
No, that's why I'm wearing these flippers. These sunglasses are
my new history simulator.
Speaker 1 (03:41):
How futuristic and practical.
Speaker 8 (03:44):
Indeed, I realized that if I could just figure out
how to teleport our bodies through space, then we wouldn't
need some big honking machine to get us around. We
could just appear anywhere in history without causing a stir.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
I can't believe you figured out how teleportation works.
Speaker 8 (04:00):
It took me all weekend, which was pretty annoying, but
I got there. Eventually. Turns out it's all just math.
Speaker 1 (04:05):
Since one has one of my historians become a math expert.
Speaker 8 (04:09):
History is my area of expertise, but math, math is
my passion everybody needs a hobby, Niminy.
Speaker 1 (04:15):
I feel like I'm learning a lot about you today.
But wait, Gabe, teleportation just moves people from place to place.
History simulators don't just need to be able to move
through space. They also need to be able to move
through time.
Speaker 8 (04:30):
I was nervous about that too, But luckily time and
space are inextricably tied together, so we should be able
to get anywhere we need.
Speaker 1 (04:38):
How does that work?
Speaker 8 (04:39):
Time is just a line, hence the phrase timeline That
means that any date in the past is just a
location on that line. You follow, I.
Speaker 1 (04:49):
Do, But you're really surprising me today with this expert
level math and time travel knowledge. I feel like I'm
meeting a whole new Gabe.
Speaker 8 (04:57):
Oh, I'm a very different game than I was yesterday,
in a very different game than I'll be tomorrow.
Speaker 5 (05:02):
That is, if everything goes according to.
Speaker 8 (05:03):
Plan, you know, Niminy, change is the only constant.
Speaker 1 (05:07):
Ain't that the truth? Now?
Speaker 8 (05:09):
Shall we zap our way straight into the life of
Mary Golde Ross?
Speaker 1 (05:13):
Absolutely? But Gabe, how am I supposed to get around
If you're the one wearing the history simulator glasses?
Speaker 8 (05:21):
I made you your own pair.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Fantastic news for the both of us.
Speaker 5 (05:24):
Here you go, and off we head to the National
Mall in Washington, d C.
Speaker 8 (05:29):
Two thousand and four.
Speaker 1 (05:30):
Oh, what's it the big Don't.
Speaker 8 (05:33):
Worry, we'll reappear momentarily.
Speaker 1 (05:37):
Here we are. Huh the teleportation sunglasses worked. By the way,
what was that white void we passed through?
Speaker 8 (05:45):
No clue, but I'm really hoping we never get stuck
in there anyway. Welcome to DC.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
Yes, it's so muggy here is it summer?
Speaker 8 (05:55):
It's early fall actually, But people forget our nation's capital
was built on a swamp next of the Potomac River.
Speaker 1 (06:01):
The air is so soggy I can barely see where
we are.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
Oh.
Speaker 1 (06:05):
Also, the lenses on these sunglasses are incredibly dark.
Speaker 8 (06:08):
Both true statements. I can barely see as well. But
I happen to know. We are a little less than
a mile from the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and
the White House.
Speaker 1 (06:17):
Cooco, go go co co cool. But Gabe, who is
that ninety year old woman in that stunningly beautiful ancestral
Cherokee dress? And why is she leading that processional?
Speaker 8 (06:30):
That's Mary Goldo Ross.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
I suppose I should have seen that coming.
Speaker 8 (06:33):
And she's leading a procession of Indigenous people to celebrate
the opening of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian.
Speaker 1 (06:40):
That seems less obvious but makes perfect sense. Huh. If
she was chosen to lead the processional, she must be
pretty important.
Speaker 8 (06:49):
Her legacy, much like space, is immeasurable. She made a
massive impact in US history, Cherokee history, and the space race.
Speaker 1 (06:57):
Space race, you mean the competition between the US and
the Soviet Union to have superior spaceflight capabilities.
Speaker 8 (07:05):
That's the one, and Mary was right in the middle
of it. She was a brilliant mathematician specializing in aeronautics,
so she helped write NASA's manuals for manned spaceflights, all
while being a proud Cherokee.
Speaker 1 (07:17):
This woman is awesome, And as someone who is hoping
to get into space herself, maybe we could back up
a bit and see how she got here. I'd love
to get away closer look at some of her technical
know how. That way, maybe a certain podcast host can
try to get her rocket ship to take off. You
know what I mean.
Speaker 8 (07:35):
You will need to put your sunglasses back.
Speaker 1 (07:37):
On ready set telaport disappearing passing through the weird White
boyd and.
Speaker 8 (07:47):
Reappearing Santa Fe, New Mexico in nineteen forty two.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Ooh, it's hot hair too, but dry as a sand sandwich.
Speaker 8 (07:56):
My lips are getting chapped just standing here. Let's head
inside that school.
Speaker 1 (08:01):
Oh wow, speaking of dry, look at that math equation.
Mary Golda Ross is riding on the chalkboard.
Speaker 5 (08:08):
Very good, pretty complicated stuff to be sure.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
All right, those kids were saved by the bell help.
But wait, is she helping that young woman after hours?
Speaker 8 (08:18):
Indeed she is, because Mary was a math teacher and
advisor for Native American girls in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Speaker 1 (08:26):
And now her classroom phone is ringing. This woman is busy.
Speaker 8 (08:30):
You have no idea. This is her literally answering the
call to help the nation in nineteen forty two when
World War II broke out.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
How could a math teacher with a master's degree help
the nation during war?
Speaker 8 (08:43):
First, she joined the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation. Next, she used
math to keep fighter jets from falling apart while flying
close to the speed of sound.
Speaker 1 (08:52):
Sounds like we should speed to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation so
we can see her work.
Speaker 5 (08:57):
First, sand to Lockheed in nineteen seven. Ready study teleport.
Speaker 1 (09:04):
And our bodies are disappearing.
Speaker 5 (09:07):
A quick way to the scary white board.
Speaker 1 (09:09):
And now we're at Luckheed, finally a place with a
temperate climate. Gabe, is it just me? Or is Mary
the only woman here?
Speaker 8 (09:17):
The only other woman was the secretary.
Speaker 1 (09:21):
And look at her tools. A slide ruler and the
world's largest calculator.
Speaker 5 (09:27):
That's called a freedom calculator.
Speaker 1 (09:29):
Greatly amazing the things she worked on planes with these
totally old school tools. Hey, why is everyone at Lockheed
in such a huge hurry?
Speaker 5 (09:37):
Remember they're in a race, a space race, right?
Speaker 1 (09:40):
But how did the space race begin? Why was everyone
suddenly so desperate to get into space?
Speaker 8 (09:46):
After World War Two, the United States and the Soviet
Union got into a heated competition called the Cold War,
and a big part of that struggle was over the
control of space.
Speaker 1 (09:56):
Gotcha? So everyone's eyes were on the stars.
Speaker 8 (10:00):
And in nineteen fifty seven, the Soviets launched the first
ever satellite into orbit, which was called Sputnick.
Speaker 1 (10:07):
So Mary and all her colleagues are trying to catch up.
Speaker 8 (10:10):
It was all hands on deck for US scientists, engineers,
and mathematicians. But eventually Mary went to NASA.
Speaker 5 (10:18):
Shall we join her there on your marks? Get set teleports.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
I'm terrifying, my good I.
Speaker 5 (10:27):
Don't work here, but welcome to NASA.
Speaker 1 (10:29):
Ooh, look, Mary is over there. Let's go check out
what she's working on. See if maybe I can learn
how to get a spaceship in the air.
Speaker 8 (10:37):
Okay, but we should probably try not to be noticed
because most of what Mary's working on is top secret.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
You're totally right, Gabe. It says top secret right on
top of the manual she's typing up. I feel like
we're in a spy movie from the looks of it.
Speaker 8 (10:52):
The thing that she's working on is the operational requirements
for a spacecraft jack Pot.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
That's exactly what I mean, you need to get my
spacecraft into space. Just gonna write a couple things down.
Speaker 8 (11:05):
That manual is an absolutely vital part of the Apollo program.
And you see that pile of papers on her desk. Oh,
that's gonna turn into NASA's Planetary Flight Handbook.
Speaker 1 (11:16):
Isn't that NASA's comprehensive guide to space travel?
Speaker 5 (11:19):
Sure is doubbleteg bood.
Speaker 1 (11:21):
Just gonna take a couple more notes here, and.
Speaker 8 (11:25):
This report over here is full of preliminary concepts for
flights to Mars and Venus.
Speaker 1 (11:31):
Are you saying that Mary laid the groundwork for missions
that haven't yet come to fruition. I am Oh, she's
so cool. I love learning about cool people.
Speaker 8 (11:41):
You're not alone, which is why there's a sculpture of
her at Buffalo State College. Also, there's a painting by
Cherokee artist America Meredith at the Smithsonian National Museum of
the American Indian that we have to go see.
Speaker 1 (11:54):
It better be her against a starry rocket filled sky.
Speaker 5 (11:58):
That is exactly what it is. How did you know that? Good? Guess?
Speaker 1 (12:02):
Tward time.
Speaker 8 (12:06):
And we're back to the Smithsonian.
Speaker 1 (12:08):
Lock there's our painting, Mary Golde Ross in Space. It's
absolutely stunning. Well, let's get closer.
Speaker 8 (12:16):
The painting is entitled ad Astra per Astra, which means
to the stars from the stars and a reference to
a Cherokee origin story about how humans arrived on Earth
from the Pleiades.
Speaker 5 (12:28):
Let's take a closer look.
Speaker 1 (12:30):
Look at all this detail. Wow, this painting is packed
with symbolism. I actually know about this.
Speaker 8 (12:37):
Say more.
Speaker 1 (12:38):
Okay, First, there's this seven pointed star, which references the
seven Sisters constellation Bingo. Second you have the seven clans
of the Cherokee Bengo. And last you have got the
seven directions in Cherokee cosmology Bongo Niminy.
Speaker 5 (12:56):
I had no idea.
Speaker 8 (12:57):
You knew all that.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
It's pretty amaze the stuff that will float around in
your noodle from high school history. But Gabe, what is
that spacecraft in the painting?
Speaker 8 (13:07):
That is the agent a spacecraft? It was a versatile
American rocket and satellite bus used by NASA and the
US Air Force for tons of projects.
Speaker 1 (13:16):
Oh and look at this Marry quote below the painting.
To function efficiently in today's world, you need math. The
world is so technical. If you plan to work in it,
a math background will let you go farther and faster.
Speaker 8 (13:28):
She was truly an example of how important math is
for everyone.
Speaker 1 (13:32):
To be honest, I didn't realize how important math is
and making so many big things happen in the real world.
I kind of feel my way through a lot in life. Nimity.
Speaker 8 (13:42):
Can I ask you, were you using any math to
try to record a song in space?
Speaker 1 (13:47):
Absolutely? One rocket ship plus one song equals one space song. Oh,
I realized now it was a little simple.
Speaker 5 (13:55):
I admire your gumption and it got you on your way.
Speaker 1 (13:58):
True, and now than to Mary, I have got the
goods and I am ready to try again. Speaking of which,
are you ready to head back home?
Speaker 5 (14:06):
Actually, I'm going to teleport into the White Void?
Speaker 1 (14:09):
What what game?
Speaker 8 (14:10):
It's so endless and blank, trust me, I know, but
seeing how fearless Mary Golder Ross was made me realize
it was time to face my fears.
Speaker 1 (14:21):
Well, good luck with that game. I obviously want the
full report. As for me, I'm headed back to the bunker.
Activate teleport. Bye. Who I am back in the here
and now da come take a look at these notes
(14:42):
I took. I have some serious improvements on the construction
and operation of our rocket ship. Yeah, I know, pretty
smart stuff, right? Can you make these changes? Fantastic? And
while they are working on the rocket ship, I'm gonna
(15:02):
go ahead and get in my space suit. I'll see
it's probably for the best. We didn't actually get into
space last time. We didn't even have a proper protocol. Huh.
I'm in, And now that I am suited up, I
am going to go ahead and get inside. Welcome, thanks
(15:22):
robot voice. Wow, it is starting to look good in here.
Tina what's the word that was quick? I suppose when
you're not guessing how to build a spaceship, it's a
lot easier. Huh. Well, thanks to Marigold Ross for straightening
out our space aspirations and making this possible. Robot boys,
(15:45):
let's get this thing going and seconds. Listeners, we are
about to make some history by making music about some
history and featuring one of today's special guests, Crystal.
Speaker 7 (15:59):
Light It Nie for three Mass. I go by the
(16:21):
name of Mary Golda Ross, aka the first known Native
American female aerospace engineer. I am a mathematician, I am
a Cherokee, and I am a trailblazer.
Speaker 5 (16:37):
Here we go.
Speaker 7 (16:37):
I was born in Oklahoma nineteen o eight, a small
town called park Hill, Whard. Life wasn't so great, but
from a very early age I showed a growth rate
at learning to compute, to count and cold. Late, I
had a mind for math and I got mathem my mind.
But for Native girls, you'll find it wasn't a good time.
But I'm a great grand.
Speaker 9 (16:57):
Child of a Cherokee.
Speaker 7 (16:59):
GI me a healthless belief. Those around me, they often
agreed spend my next few years with their help.
Speaker 9 (17:06):
In pursuit of my dreams knowledge.
Speaker 7 (17:08):
I sought it college with plots, math class, I taught
it masters.
Speaker 1 (17:13):
I got it.
Speaker 7 (17:13):
But after the next chapter in my biography, one in
which the prodigy in geometry wants to honestly do astronomy.
But misogyny in the field is the quantity of females
that's near zero.
Speaker 9 (17:27):
It's hard to see a past if you can't see
a hero.
Speaker 7 (17:30):
So we roll back to a reservation. I worked in education.
Maybe my dream was dead and men instead for the
next generation.
Speaker 9 (17:38):
I never know where my pathletes plot. I solved all
my problems. I got math, lets, married gold.
Speaker 7 (17:45):
I plus remember me check my legacy engineer and Cherokee.
I did I advise the kids right?
Speaker 9 (17:52):
But I felt I never ever really get that big life.
Speaker 7 (17:55):
But then Germany starts picking a big fight, and my
world changes quick overnight.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
You might not know, but.
Speaker 7 (18:02):
In World War Two, men were overseas siegings, so the
girls would do new jobs that before would never hurt
towards you.
Speaker 5 (18:10):
A new world soars through.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
And I'm world for you. So what Stava signed?
Speaker 7 (18:14):
Search for the sign and the coast sign. I headed
for the coastline to lock Heed on a course I
was charged in, a few didn't and a few I
was starting at the job I always wanted do, an
aeronautics making military place started silivery and rockets.
Speaker 9 (18:31):
Finally had that money in my pockets on a trade with.
Speaker 7 (18:34):
Nope stopping within the war stopped, and then the men
came home. So then I didn't know if they'd let
me do that work.
Speaker 9 (18:43):
An needs more.
Speaker 7 (18:44):
Once again, Mary Bosses at a cross roads, at a
lost or where to go?
Speaker 5 (18:49):
Oh no, I.
Speaker 9 (18:51):
Never know where My pat leads plat us alve all
my problems. I am at leads married go up.
Speaker 7 (18:58):
Plus remember me check my legacy engineer and there at.
Speaker 3 (19:02):
The squeze, make him say.
Speaker 7 (19:14):
Take a girl multiplier with some passion and actions attract
all distraction, add a little traction and a fraction, a
fashion and a glass ceiling. Would you get the answer?
Speaker 9 (19:25):
Risk, Mary Ross.
Speaker 7 (19:27):
And if they would have said you can't do Matthew anymore,
I'd be very cross. That would be a scary thought,
because my mind absorbing all these facts like the water,
and my brain is made of terry claws. Yes, what
I was so good that they kept me here? Pay
for me to train again to be an engineer. Say
for twenty plus years, earn my pension here and did
even more things than I can mention here. Most of
(19:50):
it is classified, but the fe to say you got
Mary Ross to think for your flights today only woman
in the room where the fellas is with the melanine
helping then new tech development and writing manuals for the
skunk Works. And after I retired, I'm inspiring the young squirts,
helping kids who look like me do what I did,
(20:11):
be a hero so they could dream big.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
Je squeeze, make.
Speaker 1 (20:25):
Him say squeeze.
Speaker 2 (20:54):
We'll be right back after a few words for the
grown ups.
Speaker 7 (21:02):
Landing in the three te ones, a.
Speaker 1 (21:06):
Flawless re entry and landing. I sure am glad to
be back home. Now. Let me just push the button
to open the spaceship door.
Speaker 5 (21:17):
Raccoons, we did it.
Speaker 1 (21:19):
We recorded a song in space.
Speaker 5 (21:22):
Yah, how she did it?
Speaker 1 (21:25):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (21:25):
First, you need to record a song edge first.
Speaker 1 (21:29):
Hey, it's my high fant Phil.
Speaker 5 (21:31):
Oh.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
Yeah, Phil's here here in person and the spirit.
Speaker 1 (21:36):
Well, thanks to everyone for being my welcome committee, Phil, Tina,
other nameless Raccoons. When I was recording that absolute smash
hit of a tune in deep Space, I realized something.
Speaker 5 (21:47):
They did and now used to tell us spool.
Speaker 1 (21:51):
I realized I use math all the time in music.
Music and math are like time and space, inextricably to same.
Speaker 6 (22:00):
All.
Speaker 2 (22:01):
Phil doesn't get it yet.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Think about it, Phil, Rhythms, patterns, intervals, scales, the notations
of a composer communicate the sounds that a musician needs
to make. It all involves mass.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
Music, man and blood is grateful exactly.
Speaker 1 (22:20):
Oh now, everyone, if you'll excuse me, my Space mission
went a touch too long and I have to head
to my interview stat.
Speaker 5 (22:26):
Wait, nmity, I have a question.
Speaker 1 (22:28):
What is it, Phil? And why do you suddenly sound
so earnest?
Speaker 5 (22:32):
Can you send me into space?
Speaker 4 (22:34):
I'm really excited for you, but I'm also extremely jealous.
Speaker 5 (22:37):
It was my childhood dream calling a mission to space.
Speaker 4 (22:40):
I honestly just stumbled into this whole highbad thing, which
is great, don't get me wrong, but space that was
my first love.
Speaker 1 (22:49):
Phil. I'm so glad you said something. I'd be thrilled
to lend you my rocket ship. Really under one condition.
Speaker 5 (22:56):
Phil will do anything you ask.
Speaker 1 (22:58):
I need you to promise that you'll keep Space totally hyped.
Speaker 4 (23:02):
Oh yeah, space man, combinding my job am.
Speaker 1 (23:07):
My Tina please help fill into space. Thanks team, and
now for today's interview, we have two really special guests
joining us. Please welcome Christina and Vivian.
Speaker 6 (23:27):
Hi.
Speaker 1 (23:28):
Please introduce yourselves.
Speaker 10 (23:29):
Yeah, eh Sha Christina Helna Yinishia sitting on Jenny Nishtafni
bashish chin ttich ain'ty dashi che ashiha Dashanela.
Speaker 1 (23:39):
Hi.
Speaker 10 (23:40):
My name is Christina Helna and I am the Black
Streak Wood People Clan born for the Folded Arms People Clan.
The Bitter Water Clan is my maternal grandfather's clan and
the Salt Clan is my paternal grandfather's clan. I am
Navajo originally from the Nawaha Reservation from Samila, Arizona. I
am the intio's Rocket Systems Engineering program Men. You're at NORTHFORLK.
(24:00):
Grumman Corporation in Chandler, Arizona. Hi.
Speaker 6 (24:03):
My name is Vivian. I am eight years old. I
live in Ohio. I am Odawa in Hana, Nashoni. My
name is Alway Hunted.
Speaker 1 (24:13):
I'm so happy to have both of you here. Let's
start off with your first question.
Speaker 6 (24:18):
Vivian, how do you know you wanted to be an engineer?
Speaker 10 (24:22):
Great question, Vivian. I actually knew I wanted to be
an Internet at a very young age, which is very rare.
I was probably about your age, maybe even a year
or two younger than you are right now. I saw
an airplane go by above me, and I'd asked my
mom what was that, and she told me what it was,
and I was like, was there people on there? I
(24:43):
was just asking all kinds of questions and she was
just like, okay, well, have to take it to the library.
I checked out books about airplanes and astronauts and space
and rockets, and when I found out who designs rockets
and airplanes, I found out was an aerospace engineer, and
so that's what I said I was going to do.
(25:05):
I was like, I want to make things fly. I
want to do that.
Speaker 6 (25:08):
What does it feel like to be an engineer?
Speaker 10 (25:11):
Well, Vivian, it actually feels pretty amazing, you know, especially
as a Native American woman. There's not many of us
in the stem field.
Speaker 1 (25:19):
You know.
Speaker 10 (25:19):
Mary Ross was the very first Native American engineer at
Lockheed and just in general in the world, and you know,
I just kind of use her path. She would work
very hardy get where she was and she was making
great waved links to do what she loved and I'm
going to do the same. And how she inspired individuals
Native Americans alight like myself to pursue a STEM degree.
(25:42):
She was definitely someone I looked up to and I'm
hoping I'm able to inspire others as well, just telling
the young Indigenous kids out there that they can do
anything they want. They can be an engineer like myself
and Mary Ross.
Speaker 1 (25:56):
Mary Ross is so inspirational. Can you tell us a
little more about what she worked on, Christina?
Speaker 10 (26:02):
She worked on very different projects. One of them you
might not be aware with, Vivian because you're so young,
is the skunk Works project at Lackey Martin. Then they
did a lot of classified projects what they called skunk Works.
The bomber there. They really quiet airplane that makes no
noise when it's flying up above. Like she gets to
t got to work up really cool projects like that.
(26:23):
She was amazing.
Speaker 6 (26:24):
What was your favorite thing in school?
Speaker 10 (26:27):
Sciences was actually my favorite, just because you got to
do a little bit of everything. And then what got
me really interested in what I'm doing right now as
an engineer in general is learning about physics and working
on bottle rockets and the Newton's laws and all that
craziness growing up. You know, I also like arts and
crafts too, which is a little bit different than a
(26:49):
little bit different than my engineering background. But you know,
growing up, I used to watch my grandmother and grandparents
leave rugs, so they had to use actually math to
to do thatgure out how the rug weaving would go,
how the patterns would look like, and to have to
think about that ahead of time. My grandparents also did
a lot of drawings and pottery, and so seeing that
(27:09):
as a child kind of made me appreciate the arts
a little bit too.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Oh, your grandparents sound really talented, Vivian. You're interested in
art too.
Speaker 6 (27:17):
Right, I think I like drawing.
Speaker 10 (27:20):
What do you like to draw?
Speaker 6 (27:22):
Sometimes I just draw Star Wars?
Speaker 1 (27:25):
Oh?
Speaker 10 (27:25):
You like Star Wars? What's your favorite character?
Speaker 6 (27:28):
M R too D two You know what?
Speaker 10 (27:31):
So do? I I love R two, D two and
CP three to Oh. I call them their besties because
they're always together.
Speaker 1 (27:39):
Hey, now that I think about it, R two, D
two and C three PO were probably built by engineers.
Thank you both for joining me today.
Speaker 10 (27:48):
Viviana, so nice to meet you.
Speaker 6 (27:50):
Nice to meet you too. Thank you, Christina.
Speaker 1 (27:53):
Bye, Thank you bye, listeners. Thanks for joining me today
for hours epic. Pretty amazing. We made it so far
into space and back, well almost all of us. I
still haven't heard from Gabe. Gabe, You're back and right
on time.
Speaker 5 (28:12):
Hey, Nimity, How was the infinite White Void?
Speaker 8 (28:15):
Very intimidating at first and then very calming?
Speaker 1 (28:19):
Calming?
Speaker 8 (28:20):
Turns out a place without time and space can be
pretty chill. Nowhere to be no time crunch for anything.
I'm pretty sure I spent years there.
Speaker 1 (28:29):
Oh, but you mention it. You are glowing slightly.
Speaker 8 (28:35):
Also, it was hard to sleep because it was so bright,
So I think I'm gonna go lay down.
Speaker 1 (28:41):
Totally nice to catch up and hear about your mind
bending adventure. Listeners. We'll talk before we dive into Mary's legacy.
I had no idea math played such a big role
in my life. Are there ways that math plays a
big role in your daily lives? I'd love to know
anyway us Thanks to today's guests Vivian, Crystal and Christina
(29:05):
Remember Parents and Teachers. You can download a free activity
related to today's episode by visiting story pirates dot com.
Speaker 2 (29:12):
Slash Historical Records.
Speaker 1 (29:15):
And I can't wait to go on another adventure with
you all very soon. Until next time it's face. Don't
forget to make history. You gotta make some noise and
possibly explode a spaceship engine or two bye.
Speaker 11 (29:40):
Historical Records is produced in partnership with Story Pirate Studios,
Questlove's two on five Entertainment John Blickman and iHeart Podcasts
Executive produced by Emir Questlove, Thompson, John Glickman, Le Overtree
and Benjamin Salga. Executive produced for iHeart Podcasts by Noah Brown.
(30:00):
Producers for Story Pirate Studios are Isabella Riccio, Sam Bear,
Carrit Gerson, Andrew Miller, Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney and niminy Ware.
Producers for two one five are Sean ge Britney, Benjamin
and Sarah Zolman. Hosted by niminy Ware. Our head writer
is Duke Doyle. Our historians are Gabe Pacheco and Lee Polus.
(30:22):
Music supervision for two one five by Stroe Elliott. Scoring
and music supervision for Story Pirate Studios by Eric Gerson.
Speaker 8 (30:30):
Sound designed and mixing by Sam.
Speaker 11 (30:31):
Bear at the Relic Room in New York City. Song
mastering by Josh Han theme song by Dan Foster and
Eric Gerson and produced by Eric Erson. Production coordination by
Isabelle Riccio, Production management by Maggie Lee. The line producer
for story Pired Studios is Glennis Brault. Pr for Story
Pired Studios is provided by Naomi Shaw. Episode artwork by
(30:54):
Camilla Franklin. This episode was written by Duke Doyle. The
song Mary golda Ross was written by Dan Foster and
Niminy Ware and produced by Micah James with vocal direction
and additional music supervision by Jack Mitchell. Additional recording at
Red Room Studios in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Special guests Crystal Lightning,
Christina Helona and Kid interviewer Vivian. This episode features performances
(31:19):
by Sarah Elizabeth Haynes, Peter McNerney, Lee Overtree, and Gabe Pacheco.
Special thanks to David Kurns and Joey Clift
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