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 feel any restrictions. I just did my job.
I was just doing what I was told to do. I was just doing my job.
The computer was going to do what we told it to do, but we had to tell it what to do.
You know, the early computers, they were not as reliable as they are now. So they needed someone to check them.
We always worked as a team. We always helped each other.
I loved going to work every day. I loved what I did.
There was no such thing as a 'woman's job' or a 'man's job.' There was just a job.
I just put my head down and did the work. That's all I knew how to do.
I never felt like I was less than anyone else. I just knew I could do the work.
The numbers don't lie. They just tell you what's happening.
I was always curious. I always wanted to know why.
You have to be confident in your abilities. You have to believe in yourself.
My father always told me, 'You are no better than anyone else, but no one is better than you.'
I just wanted to do my part. I wanted to contribute.
The work was challenging, but it was also very rewarding.
I never thought about the color of my skin or my gender. I just thought about the numbers.
We were all working towards a common goal. That's what mattered.
I was just a person doing a job. That's how I saw myself.
If you love what you do, it's not work.
I always tried to do my best. That's all you can do.
Contemporaries of Katherine Johnson
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Katherine Johnson (1918–2020).