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 was just a part of something bigger than myself.
I just loved to learn. That's all.
I always believed in the power of education.
I just wanted to contribute. To make a difference.
I never let my circumstances define me.
The universe is full of mysteries, and math helps us unlock them.
I just kept my head down and did the work.
I was just a woman doing her job, and doing it well.
I always found beauty in the numbers.
I just wanted to be useful.
I never gave up. That was my motto.
I just followed my passion, and it led me to great things.
I always believed that anything was possible if you worked hard enough.
The truth is out there, and math can help us find it.
I just tried to make the world a better place, one calculation at a time.
I was just a small part of a big story.
I always saw the beauty in the complexity of the universe.
I just kept pushing forward, no matter what.
I always believed in the power of the human mind.
We needed to be meticulous. We had to be sure that the numbers were right. There was no room for error.
Contemporaries of Katherine Johnson
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Katherine Johnson (1918–2020).