Origins & Early Life

Creola Katherine Johnson (née Coleman, previously Goble; August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) was an American mathematician and human computer whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. During her 33-year career at NASA and its predecessor, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform tasks previously requiring humans. The space agency noted her "historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist".

Pivotal Works & Achievements

Johnson's work included calculating trajectories, launch windows, and emergency return paths for Project Mercury spaceflights, including those for astronauts Alan Shepard (the first American in space) and John Glenn (the first American in orbit), and rendezvous paths for the Apollo Lunar Module and command module on flights to the Moon. Her calculations were also essential to the beginning of the Space Shuttle program, and she worked on plans for a human mission to Mars. In 2015 President Barack Obama awarded Johnson the Presidential Medal...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• Abdul Hamid II — Contemporary (Died in 1918) (1918): Last effective Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, navigating decline and constitutional upheaval.
• Abraham Pais — Contemporary (Born in 1918) (1918): Pioneering physicist and acclaimed science historian of modern physics.
• Adolfo Pedernera — Contemporary (Born in 1918) (1918): Argentine football legend, nicknamed 'El Maestro,' pivotal in the 1940s.
• Alan Parker — Contemporary (Died in 2020) (2020): Acclaimed English filmmaker known for genre versatility and numerous BAFTA and Golden Globe wins.
• Armando Manzanero — Contemporary (Died in 2020) (2020): Mexican composer and singer, celebrated for defining the romantic sound of postwar Latin America.
• Arthur Ashkin — Contemporary (Died in 2020) (2020): Pioneering physicist, recognized as the father of optical tweezers.
• Andrew Mellon — Shared historical date (08-26 · Died) (1937): American banker, industrialist, and politician who served as Secretary of the Treasury.
• Antonie van Leeuwenhoek — Shared historical date (08-26 · Died) (1723): Pioneering Dutch microscopist, known as the Father of Microbiology.
• Alain Mabanckou — Shared historical date (02-24 · Born) (1966): Congolese novelist and academic exploring contemporary Africa and the diaspora experience.
• Alberto Sordi — Shared historical date (02-24 · Died) (2003): Pillar of Italian Cinema, master of Commedia all'italiana comedy.
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