Katherine Johnson’s body was laid to rest yesterday after services at Hampton University. As we celebrate women throughout March (and hopefully every month), I salute Katherine’s fearless contribution to NASA and the future of the United States space program. She was and is a hero to our country and all STEM girls like me.
Although I spend most of my time writing, math was long my favorite subject throughout high school and into college. Aerospace engineering was my first career aspiration. Becoming a doctor or a lawyer were passions my family had for me. But, I did neither.
Had I known earlier about Mrs. Johnson, who is also a member of my beloved sorority – Alpha Kappa Alpha – who knows where the adoration for STEM subjects would have taken me. But there is still hope for the current and next generations to go up, up, up and away, in part because of Katherine Johnson.
So if your daughter loves the moon and stars and numbers, I’d encourage you to tell her about Katherine Johnson. Perhaps you might even want to bless her with one of these dolls. It is a replica of one of the finest Americans the world has ever known. The picture is from my collection.
Katherine Johnson. A female Human Computer. A Christian. A Soror. A Woman to be celebrated. No longer a hidden figure.
May God bless Katherine Johnson’s family as much as she blessed us all. May she rest befittingly in heaven.
Links:
Article, ‘Because of you, I have no bounds’: NASA pioneer Katherine Johnson remembered at memorial service (of her 101 years of life).