Pulitzer Prize-nominated poet, activist, and scholar Vivian Ayers Allen is a Centenarian Belle who, at over 100 years old, continues to inspire and uplift generations of women.
In the 1960s, when women of color faced numerous obstacles, Allen was one of the Hidden Figures of the Apollo 11 Space Mission. Last month on the eve of the 55th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) honored these trailblazers at the NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas by renaming Building 12 to the “Dorothy Vaughan Center in Honor of Women of Apollo.” According to NASA’s official press release, NASA Johnson Director Vanessa Wyche stated, “It’s a privilege to dedicate Johnson’s Building 12 to the innovative women who laid the foundation to our nation’s space program.”
A native of Chester, SC, Allen is the mother of actresses Phylicia Rashad and Debbie Allen. She attended Barber-Scotia College and Bennett College. Allen has also received Honorary Doctorate Degrees from her alma mater, Bennett College, and Wilberforce University.
Vivian Ayers Allen stands as a beacon of brilliance and resilience. We ring the Bennett College bell in celebration of this smart, beautiful Centenarian Belle.
