Top, from left to right: Kathy Kleiman, Jean Bartik, Marlyn Meltzer, Kay Antonelli Bottom: Betty Holberton
The ENIAC programming team, consisting of Kay McNulty, Betty Jennings, Betty Snyder, Marlyn Wescoff, Fran Bilas and Ruth Lichterman were the first regularly working programmers.
The Women in Technology International Hall of Fame was established in 1996 by Women in Technology International (WITI) to honor women who contribute to the fields of science and technology.
1997
The ENIAC Programmers: The original six women programmers of ENIAC (Electronic Numerical Integrator And Computer), first general-purpose electronic digital computer.
- Kathleen Antonelli (1921–2006)
- Jean Jennings Bartik (1924–2011)
- Frances Snyder Holberton (1917–2001)
- Marlyn Wescoff Meltzer (1922–2008)
- Frances Bilas Spence (1922–2012)
- Ruth Lichterman Teitelbaum (1924–1986)
"Walter Isaacson on the women of ENIAC".
Legacy
During the hey-day of ENIAC, proper notoriety escaped Kay and her fellow 'computers'. The invisibility of "The Refrigerator Ladies" (both from being women and the secrecy of their work, especially during the war) kept them from the public eye. Now, many years later, their contributions are just starting to be justly recognized. In 2010, a documentary called, "Top Secret Rosies: The Female "Computers" of WWII" was released. The film centered around in-depth interviews of 3 of the six women programmers, focusing on the commendable patriotic, contributions they made during World War II.
