Francesca Biagioli African-American woman who lived in a chauvinistic and racist era, physicist Katherine Johnson - thanks to her brilliant calculations - contributed to the Apollo 11 mission of the moon landing. Let's not forget her story
©NASA
When, on the 20th of July of 1969, humans actually did walk on the Moon, they did so, in no small part, thanks to an out-of-the-ordinary female named Katherine Johnson. A mathematician and physicist working for NASA, her skill remained under wraps for a very long time, but it was she who successfully mapped out the course the Apollo 11 mission would need to follow so that one of mankind’s greatest achievements became a reality.
An exceptional mind during a difficult period for women
Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson was an African American physicist, mathematician, and computer scientist who left an indelible imprint on aerospace science. Her work was crucial to the success of many NASA space flights because of her hand calculations of orbits and trajectories.
Born in a tiny West Virginia town, Katherine showed remarkable ability in math early in life. Daughter of a lumberman and a teacher, she was able to succeed in an era when opportunities for women generally, and particularly for African American women, were extremely restricted.
A key contribution to space science
At just 14 years of age, she graduated from high school, and a year later she received her degree. In the 1950s, she started working at the NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics), which eventually evolved into NASA. Although she possessed remarkable ability, up until 1958, she was required, along with her African American peers, to be employed in a segregated division because of the discriminatory policies in place at the time.
Katherine Johnson was not dissuaded by racism or sexism and proved herself to be of value through her greater mathematical skill. In 1962, she was the first female to sign an astronomical mathematics textbook and helped NASA’s most important missions, including the Apollo 11 Moon landing. She retired in 1986 after a career of excellence.
Recognition of a legacy
Her legacy prompted the Hidden Figures movie, which earned her outstanding contribution in the public sector. Mattel also honored her by creating a Barbie doll that looks like her to inspire generations yet to come.
In 2015, her former President Barack Obama awarded her the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian honor that can be awarded in the United States. Katherine Johnson passed away in 2020 at the age of 101, leaving behind an unmatched legacy and becoming a symbol for all young girls who want to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics).
Source: Nasa
