Claire Dawson
Katherine Johnson, born Creola Katherine Coleman, was an American mathematician who worked for NASA and its predecessor for 33 years. Johnson was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on August 26, 1918. Her parents were Joshua McKinley Coleman, a farmer, lumberman, and handyman, and Joylette Roberta, a teacher. Johnson showed a strong aptitude for mathematics from a young age. She attended West Virginia State College, where she studied mathematics and French, graduating with highest honours in 1937. Johnson's mathematical abilities and pioneering work in orbital mechanics were instrumental in the success of NASA's crewed spaceflights, including the Apollo 11 mission.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name | Creola Katherine Coleman |
| Birthdate | August 26, 1918 |
| Birthplace | White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia |
| Parents | Joylette Roberta Lowe and Joshua McKinley Coleman |
| Birth order | Youngest of four children |
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What You'll Learn
Katherine Johnson was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia
Katherine Johnson, born Creola Katherine Coleman, came into the world on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Her father, Joshua McKinley Coleman, was a farmer, lumberman, and handyman who also worked at the Greenbrier Hotel. Her mother, Joylette Roberta, was an educator. Katherine was the youngest of four children, and her parents were determined to ensure that all of them obtained a college education. This was an ambitious goal for a Black family in the segregated South, where educational opportunities for African-American children were limited.
Despite these challenges, Katherine excelled academically from a young age. Recognizing her talent, her parents seized every opportunity to enroll her in the best schools available. By the time she was 10 years old, Katherine had already started high school. Greenbrier County did not offer public schooling for African-American students beyond the eighth grade, so the Colemans arranged for their children to attend high school in Institute, West Virginia, during the school year, returning to White Sulphur Springs in the summer.
Katherine's passion for mathematics was evident early on. At West Virginia State College (now West Virginia State University), she met her mentor, mathematics professor Dr. William Claytor. He recognized her potential and encouraged her, creating a class specifically for her called Analytic Geometry of Space. This class would prove instrumental in preparing her for her future career in space exploration.
Katherine's intelligence and skill with numbers saw her graduate with highest honors from West Virginia State College in 1937, earning bachelor's degrees in mathematics and French. She became one of the first African-American students to enroll in a graduate program at West Virginia University in 1939. However, she soon left to start a family with her husband, James Goble, with whom she had three daughters.
Katherine Johnson's life began in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, and from these humble beginnings, she went on to become a pioneering mathematician and NASA scientist. Her calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of the first U.S. crewed spaceflights, breaking down racial and gender barriers and inspiring future generations.
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She was born on 26 August 1918
On 26 August 1918, Katherine Johnson, born Creola Katherine Coleman, came into the world in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, in the United States. Her parents, Joylette Roberta (née Lowe) and Joshua McKinley Coleman, were determined that their four children would go to college. This was an ambitious goal for a Black family in the segregated American South. Johnson was the youngest of the four children and showed strong mathematical abilities from an early age. Her mother was a teacher, and her father worked as a lumberman, farmer, handyman, and janitor at the Greenbrier Hotel.
Because Greenbrier County did not offer public schooling for African-American students beyond the eighth grade, Johnson's parents arranged for her and her siblings to attend high school in Institute, West Virginia. This school was on the campus of West Virginia State College (WVSC), and Johnson was enrolled there at the age of ten. She excelled in her studies and finished high school when she was just 13 years old. Johnson then enrolled at WVSC, a historically Black college, at the age of 18. There, she earned bachelor's degrees in mathematics and French and graduated with the highest honours in 1937.
Johnson's intelligence and skill with numbers were evident from a young age. She was selected to be one of the first three African American students to enrol in a graduate program at West Virginia University in 1939. However, she soon left to start a family with her husband, James Francis Goble, with whom she had three daughters. Johnson spent her later years encouraging students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). She died on 24 February 2020 at the age of 101, leaving behind a legacy of breaking down racial and gender barriers in the field of mathematics and space exploration.
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Her parents were Joylette Roberta Lowe and Joshua McKinley Coleman
Katherine Johnson was born Creola Katherine Coleman on 26 August 1918 in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Her parents were Joylette Roberta Lowe and Joshua McKinley Coleman. Joshua Coleman was a farmer, lumberman, and handyman who also worked at the Greenbrier Hotel. Joylette Lowe was a teacher. Katherine was the youngest of four children.
Katherine Johnson's parents ensured that she received a good education. Because Greenbrier County did not offer public schooling for African-American students past the eighth grade, the Colemans arranged for their children to attend high school in Institute, West Virginia. This school was on the campus of West Virginia State College (WVSC), and Johnson was enrolled when she was just ten years old. She graduated from high school at the age of fourteen and matriculated at WVSC, a historically black college. Johnson's father moved the family to Institute, West Virginia, 125 miles away from their home, so that Johnson and her siblings could attend school.
Johnson went on to have a remarkable career as an African-American mathematician who made significant contributions to NASA's space programme. She was one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist, and her calculations of orbital mechanics were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. Johnson's work included calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury spaceflights, including those for astronauts Alan Shepard, the first American in space, and John Glenn, the first American in orbit. She also worked on the Apollo Lunar Module, the Space Shuttle, and the Earth Resources Technology Satellite. Johnson received numerous awards and honours for her work, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, which she was awarded by President Barack Obama in 2015.
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Johnson was the youngest of four children
Katherine Johnson, born Creola Katherine Coleman, was the youngest of four children. Her parents, Joylette Roberta (née Lowe) and Joshua McKinley Coleman, were determined that all their children would complete college. This was an ambitious goal for a Black family in the South at the time. Johnson's mother was a teacher, and her father worked as a lumberman, farmer, and handyman at the Greenbrier Hotel. Johnson was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, on 26 August 1918.
Johnson showed strong mathematical abilities from an early age. She was enrolled in high school at the age of 10, as her local school did not offer education past the eighth grade for African-American students. She graduated from high school at 13 or 14 and went on to matriculate at West Virginia State College, a historically Black college. Johnson's parents ensured she attended one of the best schools available, despite the challenges of racial segregation in the school system.
Johnson's mathematical talent continued to be recognised throughout her time at West Virginia State College, where she met her mentor, mathematics professor Dr. William Claytor. He encouraged her by telling her she would make an excellent research mathematician and created a class specifically for her, called Analytic Geometry of Space. This class helped prepare her for her future career in space exploration. Johnson's work in this field would later include calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury spaceflights, as well as rendezvous paths for the Apollo Lunar Module.
Johnson's intelligence and skill with numbers were further recognised when she was chosen as one of three Black students and the first Black woman to integrate West Virginia University and pursue graduate studies in mathematics. However, she soon left the graduate program to start a family with her husband, James Francis Goble. They had three daughters together, and Johnson returned to teaching when they were older. Johnson and Goble moved their family to Newport News, Virginia, in 1953, where she began working at the Langley laboratory of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA). Johnson's work at NACA included analyzing data from flight tests and investigating a plane crash caused by wake turbulence.
Johnson's work in mathematics and space exploration has had a lasting impact. She co-authored 26 scientific papers and received numerous awards, including NASA's Lunar Spacecraft and Operation's Group Achievement Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. Her story inspired the bestselling book and Oscar-nominated film "Hidden Figures", which brought her achievements to a wider audience.
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She was born Creola Katherine Coleman
Creola Katherine Coleman, who later changed her name to Katherine Johnson upon her marriage to James A. "Jim" Johnson, was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. She was the daughter of Joylette Roberta (née Lowe), a teacher, and Joshua McKinley Coleman, a lumberman, farmer, and handyman. Johnson was the youngest of four children, and her strong mathematical abilities were apparent from an early age.
At the time, Greenbrier County did not offer public schooling for African-American students beyond the eighth grade. Determined to provide their children with a quality education, the Colemans arranged for them to attend high school in Institute, West Virginia, on the campus of West Virginia State College (WVSC). The family divided their time between Institute during the school year and White Sulphur Springs in the summer. Johnson was enrolled at the age of 10 and graduated from high school at 14, after which she matriculated at WVSC, a historically Black college.
Johnson went on to earn bachelor's degrees in mathematics and French from West Virginia State College in 1937, graduating summa cum laude at the age of 18. She then moved to Virginia to take up a teaching position at a Black public school in Marion, Virginia. In 1939, she married her first husband, James Francis Goble, and enrolled in a graduate mathematics program at West Virginia University, becoming the first African-American woman to attend graduate school at the university. However, she quit at the end of the first session to focus on her family life.
Johnson's intelligence and skill with numbers were evident throughout her early life. In 1952, she learned of open positions at the all-black West Area Computing section at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics' (NACA's) Langley laboratory. She and her husband decided to relocate their family to Newport News, Virginia, where Johnson began working at Langley in 1953. Her work at NACA and, later, NASA, would go on to play a critical role in the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights.
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Frequently asked questions
Katherine Johnson was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, U.S.
Katherine Johnson was born on 26 August 1918.
Katherine Johnson's parents were Joylette Roberta Lowe and Joshua McKinley Coleman. Her mother was a teacher, and her father worked as a farmer, lumberman, and handyman.
Yes, Katherine Johnson was the youngest of four children.
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