Katherine Johnson

Creola Katherine Johnson (née Coleman; August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) was an American mathematician whose orbital mechanics calculations, performed during her tenure at NASA, proved instrumental in the successful execution of initial and subsequent crewed space missions by the United States. Throughout her 33-year career with NASA and its precursor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), she distinguished herself by her proficiency in intricate manual computations and contributed significantly to the nascent application of electronic computers for tasks previously undertaken by human calculators. The agency acknowledged her "historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist."

Johnson's contributions encompassed the computation of trajectories, optimal launch windows, and emergency return routes for Project Mercury spaceflights, notably those involving astronauts Alan Shepard, the inaugural American in space, and John Glenn, the first American to orbit Earth. Additionally, she determined rendezvous paths for the Apollo Lunar Module and command module during lunar missions. Her calculations were also foundational to the inception of the Space Shuttle program, and she participated in the development of plans for a crewed mission to Mars.

In 2015, President Barack Obama conferred upon Johnson the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The following year, 2016, she was honored with the Silver Snoopy Award by NASA astronaut Leland D. Melvin and also received a NASA Group Achievement Award. Her life was depicted by Taraji P. Henson in the 2016 cinematic production, Hidden Figures. In 2019, the United States Congress bestowed upon Johnson the Congressional Gold Medal. Posthumously, in 2021, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Early Life

Katherine Johnson, originally named Creola Katherine Coleman, was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, to Joylette Roberta (née Lowe) and Joshua McKinley Coleman. She was the youngest of four siblings. Her mother worked as a teacher, while her father held various occupations, including lumberman, farmer, and handyman. He was also employed at the Greenbrier Hotel.

Johnson exhibited exceptional mathematical aptitude from an early age. Due to the absence of public schooling for African-American students beyond the eighth grade in Greenbrier County, the Coleman family arranged for their children to attend a high school situated on the West Virginia State College (WVSC) campus in Institute, West Virginia. Johnson commenced her enrollment there at the age of ten. The family divided their time, residing in Institute during the academic year and returning to White Sulphur Springs for the summer months.

Upon graduating from high school at the age of 14, Johnson enrolled at West Virginia State College (WVSC), a historically black institution. She pursued every mathematics course available at the college. She received mentorship from several professors, notably Angie Turner King, a chemist and mathematician who had previously guided Coleman during her high school years, and W. W. Schieffelin Claytor, who was the third African-American to earn a doctorate in mathematics. Claytor specifically developed new courses tailored for Johnson. In 1937, at the age of 18, she graduated summa cum laude, earning degrees in both mathematics and French. Johnson was affiliated with the Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority. Subsequently, she accepted a teaching position at an African-American public school in Marion, Virginia.

In 1939, following her marriage to James Goble, she resigned from her teaching role and matriculated into a graduate mathematics program. She withdrew at the conclusion of the initial session to prioritize her family responsibilities. Notably, she became the first African-American woman to attend graduate school at West Virginia University in Morgantown, West Virginia. Facilitated by John W. Davis, president of WVSC, she was among three African-American students, and the sole woman, chosen to integrate the graduate school. This initiative followed the 1938 United States Supreme Court ruling in Missouri ex rel. Gaines v. Canada, which mandated that states offering public higher education to white students must also provide equivalent opportunities for black students, either through the establishment of black colleges and universities or by admitting black students to previously white-only institutions.

Career

After her daughters reached maturity, Johnson resumed her teaching career. In 1952, a family member informed her that the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was recruiting for its West Area computing section. At the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, situated in Hampton, Virginia, adjacent to Langley Field, NACA employed both African-American and white mathematicians within its Guidance and Navigation Department. Johnson accepted an employment offer from the agency in June 1953. To facilitate her employment, her family relocated to Newport News.

According to an oral history preserved by the National Visionary Leadership Project:

Initially,

Johnson was part of a female cohort responsible for mathematical computations. She characterized these women as "computers who wore skirts," whose primary duties included interpreting data from aircraft black boxes and executing other intricate mathematical assignments. Subsequently, Johnson and a colleague received a temporary assignment to assist the exclusively male flight research team. Johnson's proficiency in analytic geometry quickly garnered the support of her male supervisors and peers, resulting in her permanent integration into the team, as she noted, "they forgot to return me to the pool." Despite persistent racial and gender obstacles, Johnson remained undeterred. She demonstrated assertiveness by requesting participation in editorial meetings, a domain previously inaccessible to women, asserting her contributions and rightful place.

Between 1953 and 1958, Johnson functioned as a human computer, conducting calculations for various subjects, including aircraft gust alleviation. Initially part of the West Area Computers section, overseen by mathematician Dorothy Vaughan, Johnson was subsequently transferred to the Guidance and Control Division within Langley's Flight Research Division, which was exclusively staffed by white male engineers. Adhering to Virginia's racial segregation statutes and federal workplace segregation policies implemented during President Woodrow Wilson's administration, Johnson and other African-American women in the computing pool were mandated to utilize separate facilities for work, dining, and restrooms from their white counterparts. Their designated office was explicitly marked "Colored Computers." In an interview with WHRO-TV, Johnson articulated that she "didn't feel the segregation at NASA" because the collective focus on research and mission objectives transcended racial divisions, stating, "You had a mission and you worked on it, and it was important to you to do your job [...] and play bridge at lunch." She further clarified, "I didn't feel any segregation. I knew it was there, but I didn't feel it."

In 1958, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) dissolved the "colored computing pool" when it was succeeded by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), which subsequently integrated digital computing technologies. Although the facility underwent desegregation, various forms of discrimination remained widespread. Johnson recounted:

Johnson articulated the imperative for women during that era to exhibit assertiveness, even aggression, noting that the extent of this necessity varied by circumstance. She personally found it essential. During NASA's nascent period, female employees were prohibited from co-authoring reports; no woman in her division had previously received authorship credit. While collaborating with Ted Skopinski, who intended to relocate to Houston, their supervisor, Henry Pearson, known for his bias against women, insisted Skopinski complete their joint report. Ultimately, Skopinski informed Pearson, "Katherine should finish the report, she's done most of the work anyway." This intervention compelled Pearson to allow Johnson to finalize the report, resulting in her name being affixed to it—a landmark achievement as the first instance of a woman in her division receiving such recognition.

From 1958 until her retirement in 1986, Johnson served as a computer for the Spacecraft Controls Branch, the successor to NACA. Her responsibilities included calculating the trajectory for Alan Shepard's historic May 5, 1961, space flight, making him the first American in space. She also determined the launch window for his 1961 Mercury mission and meticulously charted backup navigation routes for astronauts to use in the event of electronic system failures. When NASA first employed electronic computers to compute John Glenn's orbital path around Earth, officials specifically requested Johnson to verify the machine's calculations, as Glenn himself had insisted on her personal verification before he would commence his flight.

Author Margot Lee Shetterly observed, "So the astronaut who became a hero looked to this black woman in the still-segregated South at the time as one of the key parts of making sure his mission would be a success." Shetterly further posited that, during an era when computing was often relegated to "women's work" while engineering was predominantly a male domain, there has been a historical tendency to undervalue the essential contributions made by women. She concluded that "it has taken history to get a perspective on that."

Subsequently, Johnson engaged directly with digital computing systems. Her demonstrated aptitude and established reputation for accuracy were instrumental in building confidence in this emerging technology. Specifically, in 1961, her meticulous work on trajectory calculations significantly contributed to the rapid recovery of Alan Shepard's Freedom 7 Mercury capsule following its splashdown.

Johnson contributed to the trajectory calculations for the 1969 Apollo 11 lunar mission. During the historic Moon landing, she observed the event on a small television screen from a meeting in the Pocono Mountains. In 1970, Johnson's expertise was crucial for the Apollo 13 mission; her development of backup procedures and charts, including a one-star observation system, facilitated the crew's safe return to Earth after the mission was aborted. Reflecting on this in a 2010 interview, Johnson stated, "Everybody was concerned about them getting there. We were concerned about them getting back." Subsequently, her career encompassed work on the Space Shuttle program, the Earth Resources Satellite, and preliminary planning for a human mission to Mars.

In her later years, Johnson dedicated efforts to inspiring students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields.

Personal Life and Demise

Katherine and James Francis Goble had three daughters, residing in Newport News, Virginia, from 1953. Following James's death from an inoperable brain tumor in 1956, Katherine married James A. "Jim" Johnson, a United States Army officer and Korean War veteran, in 1959. Their marriage spanned 60 years until his passing in 2019 at the age of 93. Johnson, a resident of Hampton, Virginia, was a grandmother to six and a great-grandmother to eleven, consistently advocating for her grandchildren and students to pursue careers in science and technology.

For five decades, Johnson was an active congregant of Carver Memorial Presbyterian Church, contributing her voice to the choir.

Katherine Johnson passed away at a retirement facility in Newport News on February 24, 2020, at the age of 101. Following her death, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine lauded her as "an American hero," asserting that "her pioneering legacy will never be forgotten."

Legacy and Accolades

Johnson was the co-author of 26 scientific papers. Her profound social impact as a trailblazer in space science and computational fields is evidenced by the numerous accolades she received and her enduring status as an inspirational figure for scientific careers. In 1999, West Virginia State College recognized her as its Outstanding Alumnus of the Year. President Barack Obama bestowed upon her the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 24, 2015, acknowledging her as a pioneering exemplar for African-American women in STEM. Obama remarked, "Katherine G. Johnson refused to be limited by society's expectations of her gender and race while expanding the boundaries of humanity's reach." NASA further highlighted her "historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist."

Two NASA facilities have been designated in her honor. On May 5, 2016, a new 40,000-square-foot (3,700 m²) structure at the agency's Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, was formally dedicated as the "Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility." This facility commenced operations on September 22, 2017. Johnson was present at the dedication, which coincided with the 55th anniversary of Alan Shepard's historic rocket launch and splashdown, an achievement to which Johnson had significantly contributed. During the ceremony, Deputy Director Lewin stated, "Millions of people around the world watched Shepard's flight, but what they didn't know at the time was that the calculations that got him into space and safely home were done by today's guest of honor, Katherine Johnson." At this event, Johnson also received a Silver Snoopy award, an accolade frequently referred to as the astronaut's award, presented by NASA to individuals "who have made outstanding contributions to flight safety and mission success." Subsequently, on February 22, 2019, NASA renamed its Independent Verification and Validation Facility in Fairmont, West Virginia, to the Katherine Johnson Independent Verification and Validation Facility.

In 2016, Johnson was recognized on the BBC's list of 100 influential women globally. A 2016 NASA video emphasized her pivotal role, stating, "Her calculations proved as critical to the success of the Apollo Moon landing program and the start of the Space Shuttle program as they did to those first steps on the country's journey into space."

Science writer Maia Weinstock created a prototype Lego set for Women of NASA in 2016, featuring Johnson, who subsequently declined the use of her likeness on the final product. On May 12, 2018, the College of William & Mary conferred an honorary doctorate upon Johnson. In August 2018, West Virginia State University inaugurated a STEM scholarship in her honor and unveiled a life-size statue on its campus. That same year, Mattel introduced a Barbie doll modeled after Johnson, complete with a NASA identity badge. In 2019, Government Executive inducted Johnson into the inaugural class of its Government Hall of Fame.

In August 2018, the DeSoto Independent School District in DeSoto, Texas, established the Katherine Johnson Technology Magnet Academy, an educational institution for kindergarten through fifth grade that provides a technology-focused curriculum encompassing robotics, coding, computer science, digital art, and music.

In June 2019, George Mason University designated the principal edifice on its SciTech campus as Katherine G. Johnson Hall.

In 2020, the Bethel School District in Washington named its recently constructed school Katherine G. Johnson Elementary.

Also in 2020, the United States Space Force designated the GPS 3 Space Vehicle 8 satellite as Creola Katherine Johnson. This satellite was subsequently launched into orbit on May 30, 2025.

On November 2, 2020, Fairfax County Public Schools—recognized as Virginia's largest and the U.S.'s twelfth-largest school division—in conjunction with the City of Fairfax, Virginia, declared that the Fairfax school board had resolved to rename its middle school. This decision, supported by 85% of Fairfax residents, changed the school's designation from Sidney Lanier, a Confederate soldier, poet, and musician, to Katherine Johnson Middle School (KJMS).

On November 6, 2020, a satellite designated ÑuSat 15, also known as "Katherine" (COSPAR 2020-079G), was launched into space, bearing Johnson's name. Subsequently, in February 2021, Northrop Grumman christened its Cygnus NG-15 spacecraft, intended for resupply missions to the International Space Station, as the SS Katherine Johnson.

In 2021, the San Juan Unified School District in Sacramento, California, named its most recently established school Katherine Johnson Middle School. Concurrently in 2021, the Baltimore County Public Schools designated one of its three new educational institutions as Katherine Johnson Global Academy.

Media Portrayals

The cinematic production Hidden Figures, which premiered in December 2016, draws its narrative from Margot Lee Shetterly's non-fiction book of the identical title, published earlier that year. The film chronicles the experiences of Johnson and her African-American colleagues, Mary Jackson and Dorothy Vaughan, who served as human computers at NASA. Taraji P. Henson depicted Johnson in the film. During the 89th Academy Awards, Johnson, appearing alongside Henson, was honored with a standing ovation from the attendees. In a prior interview, Johnson remarked on the film: "It was well done. The three leading ladies did an excellent job portraying us." Furthermore, in the 2016 episode "Space Race" of the NBC television series Timeless, Nadine Ellis portrayed Johnson.

Accolades

• 1971, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1986: Recipient of the NASA Langley Research Center Special Achievement Award.
• 1977: Conferred the NASA Group Achievement Award upon the Lunar Spacecraft and Operations team for their foundational contributions to navigation, which supported the spacecraft responsible for orbiting and mapping the Moon in anticipation of the Apollo program.
• 1998: Awarded an Honorary Doctor of Laws degree from SUNY Farmingdale.
• 1999: Recognized as the West Virginia State College Outstanding Alumnus of the Year.
• 2006: Received an Honorary Doctor of Science degree from Capitol College, Laurel, Maryland.
• 2010: Granted an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia.
• 2014: Honored with the De Pizan Honor by the National Women's History Museum.
• 2015: Recipient of the NCWIT Pioneer in Tech Award.
• 2015: Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
• 2016: Received the Silver Snoopy Award from Leland Melvin.
• 2016: Honored with the Astronomical Society of the Pacific's Arthur B.C. Walker II Award.
• 2016: Conferred a Presidential Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia.
• On December 1, 2016, Johnson was presented with the Langley West Computing Unit NASA Group Achievement Award during a reception held at the Virginia Air and Space Center. Among the other recipients were her colleagues Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson.
• 2017: Awarded the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Medal of Honor.
• 2017: Received an Honorary Doctorate from Spelman College.
• May 12, 2018: Conferred an Honorary Doctorate of Science by the College of William & Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia.
• On April 29, 2019, the University of Johannesburg, through its Faculty of Science, bestowed upon Johnson the honorary degree of Philosophiae Doctor Honoris causa, recognizing her groundbreaking contributions at NASA.
• On November 8, 2019, she was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal.
• In 2021, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.
• In 2024, she was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame.

A list of African-American women prominent in STEM fields.

• List of African-American women in STEM fields
• A list of notable alumni from West Virginia University.
• The Mathematical Tables Project, a pioneering group of human computers.
• A chronological timeline detailing women's contributions to science.

References

Golemba, Beverly. Human Computers: The Women in Aeronautical Research. Unpublished manuscript, 1994, NASA Langley Archives.

• Beverly Golemba, Human Computers: The Women in Aeronautical Research, unpublished manuscript 1994, NASA Langley Archives.
• Narins, Brigham. Notable Scientists: From 1900 to the Present. Gale Group, 2001. ISBN 9780787617547.
• Zierdt-Warshaw, Linda; Winkler, Alan; Bernstein, Leonard (2000). American Women in Technology: An Encyclopedia. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 1576070727. OCLC 48139041.Johnson, Katherine (September 1960). "Determination of Azimuth Angle at Burnout for Placing a Satellite Over a Selected Earth Position." NTRS-NASA Technical Reports Server. NASA. Retrieved October 23, 2020.Malcom, Shirley (2020). "Katherine Johnson (1918–2020)." Science, 368 (6491): 591. AAAS. Bibcode: 2020Sci...368..591M. doi:10.1126/science.abc1546. PMID 32381711. S2CID 218552025.Shetterly, Margot Lee (March 12, 2020). "Obituary: Katherine Johnson (1918–2020)." Nature, 579, 341 (2020). doi:10.1038/d41586-020-00749-3. S2CID 212681354.
  • Katherine G. Johnson Video produced by Makers: Women Who Make America
  • Katherine Johnson at Find a Grave