Katherine Johnson by Yestin R.

 

Did you Know that Katherine Johnson faced many adversities in her life? Most people face adversities in their life. Adversities are huge challenges people face. For example, there’s discrimination or a major problem, in somebody’s life. Katherine Johnson is one of those people, since she faced discrimination when she was young and as an adult.

First of all, in Katherine Johnson’s early life, she enjoyed math a lot. In paragraph 1 in NASA.gov, it says, “Katherine Johnson had an intense curiosity and brilliance with numbers.” Katherine Johnson enjoyed math at a very young age that she was even attending high school focused on it. In addition, in the same source it says, “By the age of 13 she was attending high school.” It also says at 16 She enrolled in college. She was a very smart for someone her age and had to deal with discrimination as she was an African American female. When Katherine Johnson graduated with highest honors in 1937, she took a black public school in Virginia. It goes to show that she wanted to teach other people In her early life she was really smart for her age and what she also had to deal with.

Second of all, in Katherine Johnson’s time in NASA she was considered a human computer, but she also had to deal with discrimination. “In Who is Katherine Johnson,” paragraph 10, it says, “Katherine Johnson, was not allowed to attend meetings because she was a Woman.” Not only did she had to deal with discrimination but she had to deal with sexism. In addition, Katherine Johnson wasn’t relied on most of the time because she was black and a woman. I feel bad for Katherine Johnson because she wasn’t treated properly like the men working in NASA. In the same source it says, “shortly thereafter, Johnson became part of the space team. She began calculating the flight path at trajectory path for the rocket to put the first American in space in 1961,” as well she also helped on the first moon landing. Katherine later was a huge help on the moon landing and she was very well known for that in her time in NASA.

Lastly, In Katherine Johnson's time after NASA she also did amazing things. In ”Who is Katherine Johnson,” paragraph 14, it says, “In 2016, she received honorary doctorates in science from West Virginia University and West Virginia State University.” I'm glad she finally got what she deserved and was recognized for it. In the same source last paragraph, it says, “she also liked to talk to students. She often told students to study and to work hard. She encouraged students to learn more about mathematics and science - and to never give up on their dreams.” In the end Katherine Johnson was truly and inspirational person.

To end this, Katherine Johnson was an inspirational woman. In her early life she was very smart for her age and time, and later on helped with the moon landing. In her time in NASA, she wasn’t relied on most of the time but later on she helped on big projects. In her time after NASA, she told students to follow their dreams just like her. Katherine had a big impact on the first moon landing and inspired many people. Later on she died in 2020 at the age of 101.