| Grace Murray Hopper (1906–1991) was a mathematician, teacher, naval officer, programmer, inventor, leader, and computer visionary. She lived a life worthy of reflection, and her story serves as a vehicle to address a variety of themes in the history of programming and computing. The following is an archive-based account that documents Hopper's career in computer programming from 1944 to 1960. Hopper was a pivotal figure in the early years of computing; therefore, an understanding of her achievements shed light on the evolution of programming techniques, computer language innovation, and the interrelationship between computer hardware and software. Second, the account tracks the development of the community of people who came to refer to themselves as programmers and identifies Hopper's role within that community. Finally, Hopper's case helps to analyze how notions of gender shaped women's opportunities within the nascent computer field. The study explains why certain women such as Hopper were able to rise to preeminent positions within computing in the face of growing post-war antipathy in America towards women in the workplace. Hopper's story should garner interest from a wide audience, including historians of science and technology, military historians, computer scientists, and women studies scholars. |
