2026 SESSION
ENROLLED
HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 91
Celebrating the life of Gladys Mae West.
Agreed to by the House of Delegates, January 29, 2026
Agreed to by the Senate, January 30, 2026
WHEREAS, Gladys Mae West of King George County, a pioneering mathematician and renowned scientist whose groundbreaking achievements transformed global navigation by laying the foundation for the modern satellite-based Global Positioning System, died on January 17, 2026; and
WHEREAS, a native of Dinwiddie County, Gladys West grew up on her parents' tobacco farm and demonstrated an aptitude for mathematics from a young age; she graduated as valedictorian of her segregated high school and earned a full scholarship to what is now Virginia State University (VSU); and
WHEREAS, Gladys West earned bachelor's and master's degrees from VSU and worked as a teacher in Waverly and Martinsville until she joined the Naval Proving Ground, now Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division, in King George County; and
WHEREAS, at the time, Gladys West was one of only four Black employees at the facility and only the second Black woman ever hired; she overcame significant prejudice and discrimination and distinguished herself through her work ethic, precision, and commitment to excellence; and
WHEREAS, Gladys West was an early adopter of computer technology, mastering the Fortran programming language to run programs that reduced the calculation time for complex equations from weeks to hours; and