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 just loved to learn new things.
I just wanted to make a difference.
I just loved to be involved.
I just wanted to do my part for the country.
I just wanted to do my best for NASA.
I just wanted to make sure everything was right.
I just wanted to be accurate.
I just wanted to get the numbers right.
I just wanted to help them get to the moon.
I just wanted to be a part of the space program.
Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men.
I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps up to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed... I still do that.
We needed to be sure, so we did the math.
Take it one step at a time. And if you can work hard for it, you can have anything.
I was just doing my job.
Mathematics is a tool, and it's a very powerful tool.
I learned to count in the same way I learned to talk.
The space program is important because it shows what we can do when we work together.
Never accept anything less than what you deserve.
Hard work and determination are the keys to success.
Contemporaries of Katherine Johnson
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Katherine Johnson (1918–2020).