In fact, it was Glenn (his orbital mission is the one portrayed in Hidden Figures), who personally asked for her to run the numbers that were already being run through a computer. While I skipped grades in school, my parents made sure I stayed grounded," she told AARP during an interview in 2018.Ĭredit: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty ImagesĪmong her many, many accomplishments, Katherine was asked to perform calculations that eventually allowed John Glenn to become the first American to orbit the planet in 1962. I counted everything as a child - the number of steps up the stairs, the dishes, the steps to church. xwnRX9oZoi- Jim Bridenstine February 24, 2020īorn on Augin White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson became one of "three black students to integrate West Virginia’s graduate schools," reads NASA's official biography of her.Ī prodigy with numbers and calculations, Katherine's job with NASA began in 1958 (it was actually known as NACA at the time), a year after the Soviets launched Sputnik and kicked off the heated space race between the world's biggest Cold War superpowers: the USSR and the United States. Her story and her grace continue to inspire the world. The family will never forget Katherine Johnson's courage and the milestones we could not have reached without her. Her dedication and skill as a mathematician helped put humans on the moon and before that, made it possible for our astronauts to take the first steps in space that we now follow on a journey to Mars." as she made huge strides that also opened doors for women and people of color in the universal human quest to explore space. Johnson helped our nation enlarge the frontiers of space. "She was an American hero and her pioneering legacy will never be forgotten," he wrote across two social media posts. The sad news of Johnson's passing was confirmed on Twitter by NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.
Henson ( Empire) in the 2016 historical drama film Hidden Figures. Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician who proved herself integral to America's fledgeling space program in the 1960s, unfortunately passed away this morning at the age of 101.Īs an African American woman, Johnson was a true trailblazer, who shattered barriers for women and people of color in STEM-related fields and occupations. She was recently portrayed by Taraji P.
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