Mathematician – Katherine Johnson

Katherine Johnson was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulfur Springs, West Virginia. Johnson was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent United States crewed space flights. Johnson’s work included calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury space flights. 

She earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations to the point that she was known as a human-computer. She was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2019. She had a movie made about her legacy called Hidden figures.

Black scientists struggled to be taken seriously but have made immense progress, through their determination and continue to show intelligence and competence through trailblazing discoveries. 

“Black scientists are important because they have made so many discoveries with finding new treatments for diseases or just life-changing projects, but due to the systemic racism, they have not been acknowledged and have just been pushed aside,” senior Arias-Sanchez said.