Early life & Education
What subject was Katherine Johnson especially talented in as a child?
Math
What job did Katherine Johnson have at NASA before electronic computers were trusted?
A human computer (mathematician)
What was the first type of mission she worked on in 1961?
The first American spaceflight
What type of discrimination did Katherine Johnson face at work?
Racial and gender discrimination
What movie told her story?
Hidden Figures
Where was Katherine Johnson born?
West Virginia
What did she calculate for astronauts?
Flight paths and landing locations
Which mission sent humans to orbit Earth?
John Glenn’s mission
What unfair rule forced her to use separate bathrooms?
What is segregation
What major award did she receive in 2015?
The Presidential Medal of Freedom
How old was Katherine Johnson when she graduated from high school?
14 years old
Which astronaut asked her to check the computer’s math before flying?
John Glenn
Which famous mission landed astronauts on the Moon?
What is Apollo 11
What did she do instead of giving up when treated unfairly?
What is Continued working hard and speaking up
What age did she finish college?
18
What two subjects did she study in college?
Math & French
Why was her work so important to NASA missions?
Her calculations helped keep astronauts safe
What did her calculations help determine for space missions?
What is Launch windows and landing paths
How did her success change opportunities for others?
What is It opened doors for women and Black scientists in STEM
What fields did she inspire people to enter?
What is STEM
Why did her family move to another town so she could attend school?
Because better schools were available and segregation limited her opportunities
What major world event was happening when she worked at NASA?
The Space Race
Why were her calculations trusted more than computers at first?
What is Early computers could make mistakes and she was extremely accurate
What message does her life teach students today?
What is Never let discrimination stop you from achieving your goals
Why is she considered a hero in history?
She helped send astronauts to space and broke racial and gender barriers