Katherine Johnson Biography, Early Life, Education, Personal Life, Age 2025, Career, Net Worth

Katherine Johnson Biography – Katherine Johnson was one of the most important mathematicians in American space history. Born in 1918, she loved numbers from the time she was a little girl. She worked at NASA (and the organization before it) for more than 30 years. Her calculations helped put the first Americans in space and helped land men on the Moon in 1969. Even though she faced racism and sexism, she never gave up. In 2015, President Barack Obama gave her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor for a civilian in the United States. Her life story became famous because of the book and movie Hidden Figures. This biography tells her real story in a simple and clear way.

Early Life

Katherine Johnson was born on August 26, 1918, in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia. Her full name at birth was Creola Katherine Coleman. Her mother, Joylette, was a school teacher. Her father, Joshua Coleman, worked as a farmer and handyman. He was very good with numbers even though he never went to college. Katherine was the youngest of four children. From the age of three, she loved to count everything: steps, dishes, stars in the sky. People quickly saw she was a math genius. In her small town, Black children could only go to school for a few months each year. To give their children better education, her parents moved the family 120 miles away every school year so the children could attend better schools.

Education

Katherine was so smart that she finished eighth grade when she was only 10 years old. She started high school on the campus of West Virginia State College when she was just 10. She graduated from high school at 14. At age 15, she entered West Virginia State College. She took every math class the college offered. A professor named W. W. Schieffelin Claytor created new math courses just for her because she finished the regular ones so fast. In 1937, when she was only 18, Katherine graduated with highest honors. She earned two degrees: one in mathematics and one in French. After college she became a teacher. In 1939 she was one of the first three Black students chosen to study at West Virginia University after it opened its doors to Black students. She later left to start her family.

Personal Life

In 1939 Katherine married James Francis Goble. They had three daughters: Joylette, Constance, and Katherine. The family lived in Newport News, Virginia. Sadly, her first husband died of cancer in 1956. Katherine was left to raise three young girls alone. In 1959 she married James “Jim” Johnson, an Army officer. They stayed married for 60 years until Jim died in 2019. Katherine was a devoted mother and grandmother. She sewed clothes for her daughters and taught them to be strong and independent. She was also a faithful member of her church and loved music. She lived to be 101 years old and passed away peacefully on February 24, 2020.

Net Worth

Katherine Johnson worked for the government her whole career. Government mathematicians earned good but not huge salaries at that time. When she retired in 1986, her salary was around $40,000 per year, which is about $100,000 in today’s money. She did not become rich from her work. After the movie Hidden Figures came out in 2016, she earned money from book deals and speaking events. At the time of her death in 2020, her net worth was estimated to be between one and two million dollars. She always said numbers and helping people mattered more to her than money.

Career

Katherine started working at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) in 1953. This organization became NASA in 1958. At first she worked in a group of Black women called “computers” who did math by hand. After only two weeks, she was moved to work with engineers because she asked smart questions. She calculated flight paths for airplanes and later for spacecraft. Some of her biggest jobs were these:

• Calculating the path for Alan Shepard, the first American in space, in May 1961.
• Checking the numbers for John Glenn’s orbit around Earth in February 1962. John Glenn said he would not fly until Katherine checked the computer’s work.
• Planning the exact path for the Apollo 11 Moon landing in July 1969.
• Helping bring the Apollo 13 astronauts safely home in 1970 after their spacecraft was damaged.

She wrote or helped write 26 research reports. She worked at NASA until she retired in 1986.

Controversies

There were no big personal scandals in Katherine Johnson’s life. The only real controversy was the way NASA treated Black women and White women differently in the 1950s and 1960s. Black women had to work in a separate building, use separate bathrooms, and drink from separate coffee pots. Katherine refused to follow some of these rules. She used the same bathrooms and attended meetings even when she was the only woman or the only Black person there. She said she simply did her job and did not make a fuss, but her quiet courage helped change things for others.

Legacy

Katherine Johnson showed the world that women and Black people can be brilliant scientists. Because of her work, millions of girls now believe they can work in science and math. Here are some of the honors she received:

• 1967 NASA Special Achievement Award
• 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Obama
• 2016 Silver Snoopy Award from astronauts
• 2019 Congressional Gold Medal
• NASA named a building after her in 2017: Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility
• NASA named a spacecraft after her in 2021: the S.S. Katherine Johnson cargo ship

Schools, scholarships, and streets are now named after her. The movie Hidden Figures told her story to millions of people and encouraged many young people to study math and science.

Conclusion

Katherine Johnson lived a simple but extraordinary life. She used her love of numbers to help America reach the stars. She never complained about the unfair rules she faced. She just did excellent work every day. Her story teaches us that talent and hard work can open doors, even when others try to keep them closed. She once said, “I like to learn. That’s an art and a science too.” Katherine Johnson will always be remembered as a true American hero and one of the greatest minds of the 20th century.

FAQs

When was Katherine Johnson born?

She was born on August 26, 1918. 

When did Katherine Johnson die?

She passed away on February 24, 2020, at the age of 101.

What did Katherine Johnson do at NASA?

She calculated the flight paths for spacecraft so astronauts could travel safely to space and return home.

Why did John Glenn trust Katherine Johnson?

 In 1962 computers were new. John Glenn asked Katherine to check the computer’s numbers by hand because he knew her work was always correct.

Did Katherine Johnson go to the Moon?

No, she never went to space, but her math helped the Apollo 11 astronauts land on the Moon in 1969.

What awards did Katherine Johnson win?

Her biggest awards were the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015 and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2019.

Is the movie Hidden Figures true?

The movie is based on true events. Some small details were changed for the film, but her real achievements were even greater.

Can I visit a place named after Katherine Johnson?

Yes. You can visit the Katherine G. Johnson Computational Research Facility at NASA Langley in Hampton, Virginia.

Katherine Johnson proved that one person with courage and knowledge can change history. Her story continues to inspire new generations to reach for the stars.