Katherine Johnson of Hidden Figures

Earning a place among the African American students chosen to integrate West Virginia's graduate school was undoubtedly a remarkable achievement, but for Katherine Johnson, it was just one chapter in a life adorned with extraordinary accomplishments (Jones 64). Katherine, alongside other pioneering women, dedicated decades of hard work to ensure the success of the United States' space race.

The story of Katherine Johnson begins in 1918 in West Virginia, where her innate brilliance and fascination with numbers propelled her to accelerate through grades.

A testament to her exceptional abilities, she entered high school at the age of thirteen and ventured into college at the youthful age of eighteen (Shetterly par. 4). During her college years, Katherine crossed paths with Professor W. W. Schieffelin Claytor, a mentor who fueled her passion for mathematics. In 1937, Johnson graduated with the highest honors, securing a teaching position in Virginia's black public school (Shetterly par. 5). Subsequently, in 1939, Dr. John W. Davis, the state President of Virginia, handpicked Johnson and two other men to be the first black students to integrate West Virginia schools.

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The narrative of Katherine Johnson's life unfolds as a tapestry of resilience, intelligence, and trailblazing spirit. Beyond the historic integration event, her journey is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and the pursuit of excellence against all odds.

Katherine Johnson's journey into the all-black National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA's) laboratory was a pivotal moment in her illustrious career, spurred by a family member who alerted her to a job vacancy (Shetterly par. 5). Relocating with her family to seize this opportunity in 1953, Johnson embarked on a trajectory that would redefine history.

Assigned to the Division of Flight Research, Katherine delved into the analysis of flight test data and conducted investigations into a plane crash over the subsequent four years. Walker (103) underscores the significant impact of the launch of the Soviet satellite Sputnik in 1957 on Johnson's life and the course of history. In response, Katherine provided the mathematical foundation for the Space Technology Notes in 1957, a compilation of engineers' lectures in the Division of Pilotless Aircraft Research (PARD) (Walker 104). Having previously collaborated with engineers at Langley and NACA (later NASA in 1957), Johnson played a crucial role in trajectory analysis for Alan Shepard's historic first American human spaceflight in 1961.

Collaborating with Ted Skopinski, Katherine co-authored a report detailing specifications for the orbital spaceflight's landing position, marking her as the first female credited as a report author in the Flight Research Division (Walker 106). Johnson's significance heightened during NASA's preparation for John Glenn's orbital mission, where she played a vital role in ensuring the success of the complex orbital flight. Facing challenges with electrical calculating machines, engineers sought Johnson's expertise, as she manually ran the numbers through similar equations, contributing to Glenn's successful mission and intensifying the space competition between the Soviet Union and the United States.

Reflecting on her impactful contributions, Johnson highlighted her math work on Apollo's Lunar Module project, involving the moon-orbiting Service Module and Command, as a significant milestone (Jones 65). Additionally, she made invaluable contributions to the Earth Resources Technology Satellite (ERTS), later named Landsat, and the space shuttle. An author and co-author of twenty-six research reports, Katherine Johnson concluded her thirty-three-year career at Langley with her retirement in 1986.

In 2015, at the age of 97, Johnson received the Freedom Medal, the highest civilian honor bestowed by President Barack Obama, solidifying her legacy as a mathematician and a hero. Katherine Johnson passed away in February 2020, leaving behind a lasting imprint on NASA and space exploration.