Who Was Katherine Johnson?

From a very young age, Katherine Johnson counted everything - the number of dirty dishes she washed, the steps she walked to church, and even the number of leaves on the trees. Excelling at school, she entered high school at age 10. In 1953, she started working as a "human computer" at America's space agency, now known as NASA. Katherine calculated complex equations by hand, and these calculations helped astronauts travel safely into space. She was a part of many important missions, including the Apollo 11 mission that put the first person on the moon. As a Black woman, Katherine had to deal with racism, segregation and prejudice throughout her life, but she did not let this hold her back from becoming a mathematician. Learn even more in this biography of one of the most celebrated Black scientists in American history. 112 pages, by Shelia P. Moses. Paperback, ages 8 and up.