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Because of Her Story
To create a more equitable and just American society, the Smithsonian American Women's History Initiative will create, disseminate, and amplify the historical record of the accomplishments of American women.
Vera Rubin
HOW COULD YOU possibly live on this Earth and not want to unravel the mystery of the cosmos?
I didn’t know a single astronomer. But, I really wanted to study astronomy, and I needed a scholarship to go to college. I applied to three places. One of them was Vassar.
The day I was notified I got a scholarship, I walked around the halls, and I met Mr. Himes, my physics teacher. I told him I had a scholarship to Vassar. And he said, “As long as you stay away from science, you should do okay.”
Vera Rubin’s spectrograph is at the Smithsonian. It will be used to tell her story and other women’s stories of pursuing ambition and reaching for the stars.
Credits
Photo: Vera Rubin at Vassar College, 1947. Courtesy AIP Emilio Segrè Visual Archives
Content: David H. DeVorkin interview with Vera Rubin, National Air and Space Museum, 1995
News
Read about the Smithsonian's latest scholarship on women's history, get inspired with stories from our collections, and see other updates.
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Credits“¡Yo soy de Cuba la Voz, Guantanamera!” Celia Cruz. National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; acquisition made possible through the Smithsonian Latino Initiatives Pool, administered by the Smithsonian Latino Center. © 1994, Alexis Rodriguez-Duarte
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CreditsPatsy T. Mink U.S. Senate for Hawaii for the Nation Leaflet. National Museum of American History.
Discover Her Story
In these themes you will find stories and objects from women who have shaped America as we know it through their work, creativity, and resolve.
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