Katherine Johnson (1918–2020) was a Black mathematician whose work at NASA was pivotal to the success of the U.S. space program.
Born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Johnson exhibited remarkable mathematical abilities from a young age, graduating high school at 14 and earning degrees in mathematics and French from West Virginia State College at 18.
In 1953, Johnson began working at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which later became NASA. Her exceptional skills in analytic geometry earned her a reputation as a “human computer.” Johnson’s calculations were critical to the success of numerous missions, including the first U.S. manned spaceflight by Alan Shepard in 1961 and John Glenn’s orbital flight in 1962, where Glenn specifically requested her to verify the computer’s calculations.
Johnson’s work was crucial to the Apollo Moon landing missions and the Space Shuttle program. Despite the racial and gender barriers of her time, she gained recognition for her contributions to space exploration.In 2015, Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor in the United States. Her life and work were highlighted in the 2016 film Hidden Figures, which brought broader recognition to Johnson and her fellow African American women mathematicians who played vital roles at NASA.
