Born on August 26th, 1918, during the height of Jim Crow, Katherine Johnson faced societal marginalization as a woman of color. Despite these challenges, Katherine's determination and natural intelligence propelled her forward. She graduated from high school at just 13 years old and completed college by 18. In 1939, she accepted an invitation to attend a West Virginia graduate program, where she studied advanced mathematics. After moving to Newport News, Virginia, in 1947, Katherine found a job opportunity at NASA, where women with mathematical expertise worked as "computers." Her exceptional abilities quickly set her apart, placing her at the forefront of space exploration. One of her most notable achievements was calculating the trajectory that allowed John Glenn to orbit Earth three times and land safely. Katherine's contributions extended beyond that milestone, playing a crucial role in the success of the first moon landing. Throughout her 33-year career at NASA, she not only advanced space exploration but also broke barriers for women and people of color in STEM.
Katherine Johnson's refusal to be limited by social norms enabled her to achieve remarkable milestones, inspiring marginalized groups to pursue careers in STEM. Her advocacy extended beyond her professional achievements; she dedicated time to ensuring that Black girls had better access to STEM education. In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded Katherine the Presidential Medal of Freedom, stating, "Katherine G. Johnson refused to be limited by society's expectations of her gender and race while expanding the boundaries of humanity's reach." Despite her pivotal role in space exploration, Katherine's story was largely overlooked for decades, likely due to systemic racism and sexism that historically minimized the contributions of women of color. However, her legacy now serves as a beacon of possibility, encouraging future generations to break barriers and redefine what is achievable.