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 kept inspiring.
I like to think of myself as a pioneer, blazing a trail for others to follow.
You are as good as anyone in this town, but you are no better.
I counted everything. I counted the steps to the road, the steps to church, the number of dishes and silverware I washed... everything.
We always worked as a team. It was never just one person.
I didn't feel my color. I was doing my job.
I loved to learn. I loved to read. I loved to count.
The numbers just told me what to do.
I asked questions. I asked all the time.
There's a difference between being a good mathematician and being a good person.
I was fortunate to be at the right place at the right time.
Girls are capable of doing anything boys are capable of doing.
I never felt inferior. I never felt like I was less than anybody else.
I was just interested in getting the problem solved.
The future is yours to create.
I always had a pencil in my hand.
We had to be very accurate. Lives depended on it.
I just loved to do math. It was fun.
I was never afraid to ask questions.
You have to be persistent. You have to keep trying.
Contemporaries of Katherine Johnson
Other Mathematicss born within 50 years of Katherine Johnson (1918–2020).