Katherine Johnson was a math star. She was a for of Black women. NASA called her an “American hero.” Yet Katherine Johnson was more than that. She was also a mother.
Katherine Johnson shaped America’s space program. She died in 2020 at age 101. Today, her legacy lives on. To learn more about that, two students from Montclair, New Jersey, spoke to Joylette Hylick (JH).
Hylick called herself “Katherine Johnson’s daughter.” Some people call her mother “legendary,” said Hylick. “But she’s just mom to us.”
When did you realize the impact your mom made?
JH: We saw a newspaper article in 1961. She never said anything. So, we still didn’t realize the true impact. The more I read, she was just priceless.
When did you notice your mother was interested in math?
JH: Always. Everything that we did, we were all interested in numbers. They were presented to us in games. We never heard anything negative about math.
Did your mother always want to work for NASA?
JH: Oh, no. NASA didn’t come into being until 1958. She worked at NASA because the opportunity came for it to hire minorities. One of my mother’s principles is to prepare yourself so you’re ready when an opportunity presents itself. So, she took every math class in college.
What challenges did Katherine Johnson face as a Black mathematician in NASA?
JH: Her father taught her that you are no better than anybody else — but nobody else is better than you. So, she was not going to feel
. When she got there, she got to work. As she said, “Never look back.” There were separate bathrooms for Black women. That was an issue. So, she ignored the rules and went to the first female bathroom she saw. Because it was always about getting the work done.
Did your mother mention a difference in NASA from its early years to today?
JH: Yes, things got better. First, people had to follow the law. So, they had to change some rules. Aside from that, they realized the value of people. It takes a minute to change people’s attitudes. My mom showed her value with her intelligence. Nobody else could do what my mother did. Mom says, “If you do your best, you can’t do any better.” So, don’t be afraid. Don’t give up. Don’t let anything get in your way if you’re doing what you think is right.
What would your mother say about the low numbers of women in science and math?
JH: It’s a mistake. Women have the ability, the creativity, and the curiosity to do the same things as men. There shouldn’t be a
for women. We women have to go around that barrier.
What wisdom did your mother give you?
JH: She wanted us to stay busy. So, we always had a pet. We played sports and music. She just wanted us to like what we do. She loved what she was doing so much that she said it never felt like work. Do your best all the time. Follow your passion.
Updated March 29, 2022, 5:01 P.M. (ET)
By Russell Kahn (Russ)
