(Washington, DC, June 25, 2025) – “Katherine Johnson: The Woman Who Charted the Path to the Stars,” headlines the article about NASA’s legendary mathematician in a special, just-released magazine by McClatchy Lifestyle Specials honoring historic aviation heroes in 250 YEARS OF FLIGHT, A Breathtaking Journey From Dirigibles To Space Travel. After nearly 60 years of being “hidden” with the African American human computer women of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) now NASA, Katherine Johnson, known as the Woman of the 20th Century, is finally being included among national and international aviation’s greatest minds the likes of Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton, the Wright Brothers , Charles Lindbergh, Bessie Coleman, Chuck Yeager, The Tuskegee Airmen, Amelia Earhart, John Glenn, Wernher von Braun, and so many more highlighted in this special magazine that traces the history of flight!
Katherine Johnson’s mathematical genius was crucial in helping the United States win the Space Race. At NASA, Johnson’s unprecedented mathematical calculations of orbital mechanics, calculating trajectories, were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S.-crewed spaceflights, from the U.S. first man in space Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 mission in 1961, to John Glenn’s orbits in 1962, to the calculation of the trajectory for the historic first successful crewed 1969 Apollo 11 Moon landing and subsequent Apollo missions, to the Space Shuttle program and to the Earth Resources Satellite. Even after her passing, Katherine Johnson’s work is still utilized to further the success of space exploration to this day!
We, The Last Episode: Veterans For Social Justice (VFSJ), are committed to ensuring that Katherine Johnson’s legacy continues to be remembered and honored for generations to come. After over 60 years of being a hidden story, President Barack Obama presented Katherine Johnson with the Presidential Medal of Freedom on November 24, 2015, the highest civilian award of the United States, for her pioneering legacy. Then came the landmark book in 2016 by Margot Lee Shetterly, Hidden Figures, and a subsequent movie in 2017 about Ms. Johnson’ life, also titled Hidden Figures, finally revealed the trailblazing accomplishments of this great American hero, Katherine Johnson, and the Human Computer Women. In 2019, our music group, VFSJ, released a special music tribute to Katherine Johnson and the Human Computer Women in a music CD titled, “Has Anybody Seen Katherine Johnson,” written in the format of a Broadway Musical.
In 2024, The Last Episode: Veterans For Social Justice (VFSJ), nominated and was successful in having Katherine Johnson accepted for induction into three prestigious Halls of Fame: on March 23, 2024, Women in Aviation International (WAI) inducted Katherine Johnson (posthumously) into their International Pioneer Hall of Fame Class of 2024 in Orlando, Florida; on September 14, 2024, Katherine Johnson was (posthumously) inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame Class of 2024 in Dayton, Ohio; and on November 9, 2024, Katherine Johnson was inducted (posthumously) into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame Class of 2024 in San Diego, California. On August 22, 2024, Katherine Johnson received the prestigious national and international Humanitarian of All Mankind (HOAM) Award (posthumously) from ASEP (Acknowledging Special Events and Projects). Katherine Johnson received the HOAM Award for her lifetime achievements and contributions to aviation safety and helping to broaden the scope of space travel, charting new frontiers for humanity’s exploration of space and creating new possibilities for all humankind, and for inspiring countless students to learn about the benefits of STEM. And on September 18, 2024, the families of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Christine Darden were presented with the long overdue Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of these brilliant Human Computer Women of NASA.
Thanks to the West Virginia University Libraries and the West Virginia and Regional History Center, Katherine Johnson’s life and career can be researched through the Katherine Goble Johnson Papers under the Distinguished West Virginians Program that announced the opening of Johnson’s archives in September 2023. The archives include notebooks, photographs, correspondence, memorabilia, awards, and other materials that can now be accessed by the public.
