Katherine Johnson
An American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of the first U.S. crewed spaceflights.
Most quoted
"We will always have STEM with us. Some things will drop out of the public eye and will go away, but there will always be science, engineering, and technology. And there will always, always be mathematics."
— from Acceptance Speech, 2015
"The women did what they were told to do. They didn't ask questions or take the task any further. I asked questions. I wanted to know the why. I wanted to know the how, and I wanted to know the when."
— from Interview
"I didn't allow their side-eyes and annoyed looks to intimidate or stop me. I also would persist even if I thought I was being ignored. If I encountered something I didn't understand, I'd just ask."
— from Interview
All quotes by Katherine Johnson (380)
I didn't know I was making history. I just knew I was doing my job.
I didn't know I was breaking barriers. I just knew I was doing my job.
I just did what I was told to do. And I did it well.
I just did the calculations. That's what I was hired to do.
I just did what I was supposed to do. I didn't think about it being anything extraordinary.
I just did the numbers. The numbers don't lie.
I just did the math. And the math was right.
I just did the calculations. And they were accurate.
I just did what I was supposed to do. And I did it to the best of my ability.
I just did my job. And I did it well.
I just did the math. And the math got us to the moon.
I just did the calculations. And the calculations got us to the moon.
I just did what I was supposed to do. And what I was supposed to do was important.
I just did my job. And my job was crucial.
I just did the math. And the math was essential.
I just did the calculations. And the calculations were vital.
I just did what I was supposed to do. And what I was supposed to do made a difference.
I just did my job. And my job changed the world.
I just did the math. And the math changed the world.
I just did the calculations. And the calculations changed the world.
Contemporaries of Katherine Johnson
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Katherine Johnson (1918–2020).