Grace Hopper: A Journey Through the Evolution of Programming

By bdh805

  • Grace Brewster Murray was born in New York City. She was the first child of Walter Fletcher Murray and Mary Campbell Van Horne.

    Grace Brewster Murray was born in New York City. She was the first child of Walter Fletcher Murray and Mary Campbell Van Horne.
    (Williams, 2)

  • Grace Murray graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College with a BA in mathematics and physics.

    Grace Murray graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Vassar College with a BA in mathematics and physics.
    (Anderson, 1)

  • Grace Murray married Vincent Foster Hopper.

    Grace Murray married Vincent Foster Hopper.
    (Uhl and Marx, 19)

  • Grace earned her Ph.D in mathematics from Yale University.

    Grace earned her Ph.D in mathematics from Yale University.
    (Isaacson, 2)

  • Grace Hopper was sworn into the U.S. Naval Reserve and was assigned to the Bureau of Ordinance Computation Project at Harvard University.

    Grace Hopper was sworn into the U.S. Naval Reserve and was assigned to the Bureau of Ordinance Computation Project at Harvard University.
    (Anderson, 1)

  • Grace joined a team, under the leadership of Howard Aikens, that was working on the IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator otherwise know as MARK I.

    Grace joined a team, under the leadership of Howard Aikens, that was working on the IBM Automatic Sequence Controlled Calculator otherwise know as MARK I.
    (Beyer, 4)

  • Grace is responsible for discovering the first computer "bug" - a moth causing an error in the MARK II.

    Grace is responsible for discovering the first computer "bug" - a moth causing an error in the MARK II.
    (Isaacson, 7)

  • Grace left active service when the Navy declined her request for a regular position due to her age.

    Grace left active service when the Navy declined her request for a regular position due to her age.
    (William, 63)

  • Grace joined the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, in Philadelphia, where she helped develop the UNIVAC I, the first commercial computer in the US.

    Grace joined the Eckert-Mauchly Computer Corporation, in Philadelphia, where she helped develop the UNIVAC I, the first commercial computer in the US.
    (Anderson, 1)

  • Grace introduced the first compiler called A-O, which translated mathematical code into machine readable code.

    Grace introduced the first compiler called A-O, which translated mathematical code into machine readable code.
    (Williams, 79)

  • Grace's team created FLOW-MATIC, the first programming language to use word commands.

    Grace's team created FLOW-MATIC, the first programming language to use word commands.
    (Beyer, 16)

  • Grace attended the Conference on Data Systems Languages (CODASYL). The result was COBOL, which stands for "common business-oriented language."

    Grace attended the Conference on Data Systems Languages (CODASYL). The result was COBOL, which stands for "common business-oriented language."
    (Beyer, 280)

  • Grace Hopper became the first woman to be promoted to captain in the U.S. Navy.

    Grace Hopper became the first woman to be promoted to captain in the U.S. Navy.
    (Anderson, 2)

  • Grace was promoted again to Rear Admiral, by special Presidential appointment.

    Grace was promoted again to Rear Admiral, by special Presidential appointment.
    (Anderson, 2)

  • Admiral Grace Hopper retired from the Navy, at the age of 79, after a career that spanned more than 42 years. She was the oldest serving officer in the U.S. armed forces.

    Admiral Grace Hopper retired from the Navy, at the age of 79, after a career that spanned more than 42 years. She was the oldest serving officer in the U.S. armed forces.
    (Uhl and Marx, 4)

  • President George Bush awarded Grace Hopper the National Medal of Technology. She was the first female recipient of this honor.

    President George Bush awarded Grace Hopper the National Medal of Technology. She was the first female recipient of this honor.
    (Williams, 190)

  • Grace Hopper died at the age of 86 years old.

    Grace Hopper died at the age of 86 years old.
    (Beyer, 324)