Katherine Johnson was a household name after her life was portrayed in the film Hidden Figures. Her life, however, is even more inspiring. She was an exceptional mathematician whose contribution at NASA enabled man to walk on the moon. Due to her accurate calculations, space travel became safe and less dangerous, one of humankind’s greatest technological advancements.

Early Life

Katherine Johnson was born in 1918 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. She enjoyed numbers as a child and numbered everything from stars to stairs. She became so proficient that soon enough it did not go unnoticed by her teachers, and she was skipped several grades. She earned degrees in mathematics and French at college at the tender age of 18. Unlike the majority of women at the time, who were to be left in the traditional line, Katherine had a dream of solving equations that would change the world.

Starting at NASA

Katherine started working at NACA in 1953, which eventually became NASA. African American women were relegated to the back and called “computers” as they calculated mathematics manually. Katherine had more talents than that. While the others did simple math, she was assigned to plot the flight path and spaceflight. Engineers and astronauts started ordering her by name.

In 1962, when John Glenn the astronaut was about to orbit the globe, he famously insisted on not flying until Katherine personally checked the mathematics done by the computer. This experience demonstrated the great respect and trust she had gained.

Role in the Moon Landing

Katherine Johnson was one of the key players in the 1960s space race. She worked out the precise trajectory for Apollo 11 to fly out of Earth, land on the Moon, and safely return home. No GPS or computer programmes existed; her calculations had to be flawless—anything else would result in death. It was through her genius that Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins successfully carried out their historic flight and returned home safely.

Breaking Barriers

Katherine’s success was not so much a function of quantity. She worked in male domains where her African American womanhood was tested. Yet she spoke with assurance and emphasized achieving great results. Her personal motto was easy: “Do the work and do it well.”

Inspiring Women in STEM

Only 2% of NASA mathematicians were African American women, and Katherine was among them. She proved that women—and particularly African American women—could thrive in science and engineering fields. Today, numerous STEM education programs utilize her life to encourage girls to seek careers such as these.

Decades after retiring in 1986, Katherine continued to inspire. At least three schools and scholarships and even a NASA facility were subsequently named after her.

Lessons from Katherine Johnson

• We learn good lessons from Katherine’s life:
• Precision is important – meticulous work can make all the difference.
• Determination is powerful – never allow others to dictate your limits.
• Education opens doors – support for education from her parents provided her with the stepping stone to success.

Legacy

Katherine Johnson’s tale is more than a page in NASA history. She demonstrated that every person has the potential for greatness and broke down obstacles that seemed impossible. Her work not only contributed to sending astronauts to the Moon but also paved the way for generations of women to be involved in the STEM fields.

As we remember the moon landing, we must remember Katherine Johnson—the brilliant mathematician who made it possible.