Katherine Johnson

The Woman Who Changed The Space Industry

“Heroes can be found in the daily stuff of life. They range from parents to teachers from counselors to that unexpected angel who helps you change the tire during a dark and rainy night” (Harper 2). As demonstrated by Harper in the article “How Should We Choose Our Heroes,” heroes are not defined by how big of an action they take, but instead the deeds or the values they display. Harper emphasizes that even the simplest of acts can impact others in society. However, during modern times, heroism is often portrayed as people achieving their ambitions by overcoming impossible heights and challenges. But the true heroes are the ones whose actions may seem small but speak volumes to others. It can be as simple as standing up to a bully or rising above a challenge despite the negativity. Their actions of standing up leaves a positive influence through society and encourages others to do the same. Heroism is the willingness to stand up for what is right regardless of the consequences, and being able to persist and exceed the expectations despite the hardships and obstacles. It is defined through the small but powerful acts that challenge the boundaries of society. It is being able to motivate and inspire others to embrace and portray the qualities that can benefit others. However, it is mostly demonstrated through the pivotal traits and characteristics of courage and determination.

Katherine working in the Langley building[[File:Katherine Johnson at NASA, in 1966.png|Katherine Johnson at NASA, in 1966]]One hero who exemplifies these key characteristics of courage and determination is Katherine Johnson, an African American woman who changed the space industry. Johnson was born in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia on August 26, 1918. She was born to African American working class parents Joylette and Joshua Coleman. Her parents were huge believers in the importance of education, and worked countless jobs in order to support Johnson by allowing her to attend the all-black high school attached to West Virginia College. During this era, African Americans were discriminated against and segregated from white people. There were “Jim Crow” segregation laws set in place in order to separate them by forcing them to use different facilities from the white people. Examples of these laws taking action, were separate bathrooms, schools and even drinking fountains. The act of breaking any of these segregation laws were resulted with severe consequences. Despite the social issues happening at the time, Joshua encouraged Johnson to pursue her education and mathematical abilities. At a young age, Katherine possessed a rare ability for math, propelling her to take advanced classes and even allowing her to complete college at the age of 18 years old. As Johnson grew older, she had gotten accepted to join NASA by working in the West Area Computers in the Langley Laboratory. Due to her extraordinary ability at math, she was recognized among her peers and was known as the woman who had calculated the flight trajectory for John Glenn's orbit around Earth. As time moved on, Johnson received even more opportunities enabling her to be involved with the moon landings and the Apollo missions. After 33 years of working at NASA, Johnson received President Obama’s 2015 Presidential Medal of Freedom, which is the highest civilian honor. Her retirement enabled her to volunteer and encourage young kids to get involved with STEM-related programs. She inspires the young generation to follow their dreams and passions by working hard. A hero should be determined to follow their dreams and passion despite the negativity, and be courageous enough to stand up for what is right. Katherine Johnson’s ability to overcome racial and gender discrimination by being courageous enough to stand up to her superiors, as well as being determined through difficult situations, proves her to be the epitome of a true hero.

Katherine Johnson courageously challenged the limitations and boundaries set in place by standing up to her superiors. During that time, segregation was evident in the Langley buildings. The bathrooms in the building for the colored were clearly marked, while the white bathrooms were not, but Johnson did not pay much attention to signs: “As far as Katherine was concerned, there was no reason why she shouldn’t use those as well. It would be a couple of years before she was confronted with the whole rigmarole of separate bathrooms. By then, she simply refused to change her habits--refused to so much as enter the Colored bathrooms. And that was that. No one ever said another word to her about it” (Shetterly 289). Even though Johnson was addressed about using the white bathrooms, her disregard of the comments highlights her resistance against the issue by sticking to her actions. Her refusal to use the colored bathrooms, demonstrates to others that they should take a stand for what is right. Her willingness to stand up for her belief that the color of a person does not determine the amount of respect they receive separates her from others. Although dismissing the bathroom rules in the building may seem minor, Johnson overall challenged the social norms within society, proving her to be a true hero. Johnson’s burning curiosity and interest in what happened during the editorial meetings allowed her to pose a question to her superiors: “She considered the issue and checked the logic, just as she did with her analytical work. At first she asked it only of herself, but eventually she came to the engineers with the question. Why can’t I go to the editorial meetings? Girls don’t go to the meetings, Katherine’s male colleagues told her. Is there a law against it? Katherine retorted” (Shetterly 284). Knowing her job could potentially be at risk, Johnson continued to question the reason she could not attend the meetings and even countered back to her superior male colleagues, overall indicating her courage. Her questioning exhibits to others her inclination to stand up and grab opportunities for herself. Johnson’s bravery to ask a simple question had challenged the inequality and perspectives of gender roles by implying that the gender of a person doesn’t determine their ability, therefore proving her to be a true hero. Johnson’s refusal to use the colored bathrooms and her questioning of attending the editorial briefings demonstrates her courage.

Johnson remained determined despite the hardships and obstacles thrown at her. When Johnson took a seat next to this white man, he suddenly left:

She had a choice; either she could decide it was her presence that provoked the engineer to leave or she could assume that the fellow had simply finished his work and moved on. Katherine was her father’s daughter, after all. She exiled the demons to a place where they could do no harm, then she opened her born bag and enjoyed lunch at her new desk, her mind focusing on the good fortune that had befallen her. (Shetterly 198)

By deciding to ignore the man’s actions and not allowing the negativity to divert her from what was truly valuable, such as her job, Johnson displays determination. While others might be incapable of suppressing their emotions and continuing on without their emotions interfering, Johnson’s determination allows her to move forward and achieve her goals. Due to Johnson’s atypical actions, she separates herself from the average person and raises herself to the level of heroic. Being an African American woman, Johnson realizes that some opportunities are not easily offered. She later becomes aware that she should take a stand:

Whatever personal insecurities, Katherine Goble might have had about being a woman working with men or about being on of the few blacks in a white workplace, she managed to cast them aside when she came to work in the morning. As far as Katherine was concerned -- as far as she had decided -- once they got to office, they were all the same. She was going to assume that the smart fella that sat across the desk, with whom she shared a telephone line and the occasional lunchtime game of bridge, felt the same. She only needed to break their blind spots and make her case. (Shetterly 288)

Katherine focused and determined on her job[[File:Katherine Johnson at NASA Langley Research Center in 1980.jpg|Katherine Johnson at NASA Langley Research Center in 1980]] By deciding to cast aside her personal insecurities as a woman and choosing to prove to her male colleagues that she is something more, Johnson reveals her determination. Due to their own self doubts, many people choose to let their fears consume them as individuals. Johnson chooses to act upon her own fears by displaying her worth to the people around her. Since Johnson’s actions are irregular from most people, she differentiates herself from others, overall making her a hero. Due to Johnson’s ethnicity and gender, she faced obstacles and hardships along the way but stayed determined throughout it.

Katherine receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom[[File:Katherine Johnson medal.jpeg|Katherine Johnson medal]]As highlighted by her ability to stand up for what is right and being able to push through the hardest of situations, Johnson demonstrates the key characteristics of courage and determination, thus proving her to be a hero. Johnson uses her courage to refuse to use the colored bathrooms, therefore standing up for the amount of respect and dignity she should receive. She also uses her bravery to grab the opportunities for herself despite the social limitations of being a woman. No matter the situation, Johnson proves to use her courage by standing up for what she believes is right. Being aware of her ethnicity and gender as an African American woman, Johnson does not allow her personal insecurities to bring her down and let them consume her. Instead she uses that emotion to work even harder and prove to her colleagues that she is just as good as everyone in the Langley building. Her ability to stay determined and courageous despite the challenges that are thrown at her makes her inspiring. “Girls are capable of doing everything men are capable of doing. Sometimes they have more imagination than men” (Katherine Johnson). Since it is my dream and goal to become an astronautical engineer for NASA, Johnson’s encouragement helps me to achieve that goal. Her bravery as a woman indicates that even though she was underestimated for her ability, she was still able to overcome those perceptions and rise above their expectations. It motivates me as a young girl that even though people may consider me “weak” or “unable to handle a man’s job,” I can, with determination, prove them wrong and still rise above those expectations and achieve my goals and dreams. Her bravery inspires me to always reach for my goals by grabbing opportunities and standing up for what is right. As stated by Harper, the simplest actions can have the biggest impact on others. Johnson’s simple refusal to attend colored bathrooms displayed breaking the barriers of social norms for gender and color, while her ability to ignore her insecurities exhibited that fear should not stop a person from achieving their dreams. Johnson’s small actions left a mark on society. A true hero is one that can stand up for what they believe in while facing the challenges head on in order to rise above, making them become something greater.