Part of the 3rd Grade East She Persisted  Series

Introduction

Can you imagine leading a submarine design, and being the only woman, but not even being invited to ride the ship? That’s what happened to Raye Montague.   

Early Years 

Raye was born in Little Rock Arkansas, on January 21,1935. Her parents were Flossie Graves Jordan, and Rayford Jordan. She was in a segregated school, and when she wanted to study engineering in college she wasn’t allowed to because they didn’t teach engineering to black students, so she had to study business. Raye went to the Merrill High School in Pine Bluff and studied Arkansas Agriculture. She was 7 years old when her grandfather took her to one of the US Navy ships, and when she saw it she decided she wanted to be an engineer. She loved math, too.

Life as an Adult 

Raye died in 2018 at the age of eighty three. When she finished college she was hired for the US Navy to build ships. The boss didn’t like her working for them, but one day when all the other workers were sick, she did all their work for them. Then when the ship design failed, Raye got to use her plan. She ended up leading the ship design!

Accomplishments

She was honored by the US Navy and received a flag flown over the US capital in her honor. She led the ship design, but she wasn’t even allowed to ride the ship. She was the first black woman to be honored with the Hidden Figure Award.

Conclusion

Raye was the first black woman to win the Hidden Figure Award. She persisted by doing the other people’s work even when her boss said she couldn’t.

“Never quit, just propel to success.”

-Raye Montague