NASA's Legendary Female Mathematician Katherine Johnson Dies At 101

Katherine Johnson, the female mathematician who played a vital part in NASA’s first endeavor to send humans to the Moon, has passed away at the age of 101. Made famous by the movie “Hidden Figures” about Johnson and her colleagues, she said that she was only doing her job.

Those who wish to know more about Katherine Johnson’s life and contribution, it is recommended that you read the book or watch the movie. Another credible source of information is NASA’s memorial page.

Johnson and her colleagues at that time had to fight sexism and racism to be three black women working in an industry which 50 years later is still the domain of white men.

Johnson said that her colleagues at the U.S space agency were professional and kind. However, there was, nonetheless, discrimination against her. The movie brought her and her two other female black colleagues fame and recognition, which they well deserve, she maintained until the end that she was just trying to do her job. Before his flight to the Moon in 1962, John Glenn insisted that Katherine checked all the calculations, if she said they were good, he would be ready to go.

Katherine Johnson and her colleagues Dorothy Vaughn and Mary Jackson did not only excel against the sexist and racist of their time but also contribute to one of the U.S greatest achievements, the Apollo program. Their work has gone beyond space travel and proved its value in several other industries and inventions.

Johnson’s work and contribution have been kept hidden for too long without proper recognition. Had it not been for the book and the movie, Katherine Johnson would have remained unknown to the public and remembered by a handful of her coworkers and historians.

>>> NASA Honors Black Female Mathematicians By Renaming Street