Katherine Johnson by Justin Ca.

Think of someone whom you admire greatly, and they have probably faced adversity. Facing adversity is normal, as almost everyone has had it. Facing adversity makes you strong, it gives you self-confidence, and teaches self-control. Facing adversity makes you overcome difficulties and inspire other people. Katherine Johnson is an example of facing adversity; she was an African American woman who was top of her field in math.

First of all, Katherine Johnson had a hard early life. According to biography.com, Katherine  Johnson’s mother was a teacher and her father was a lumberman, farmer, handyman, and worked at a hotel. Katherine Johnson grew up with difficulties that might not have led to success. She counted everything when she was little to the number of steps she took to the number of dishes she washed. Katherine Johnson was born loving math. Johnson had to work hard since Greenbrier County didn’t allow public schooling for African American students past grade eight. She graduated high school at 14 years old due to her intelligence and hard work. Katherine Johnson still was successful despite facing so many challenges.

Katherine Johnson wasn’t treated right when she first got to NASA. For example, in “Who is Katherine Johnson,” it states that women were not allowed to attend meetings with the male engineers and scientists. NASA was being unfair towards the women that worked for them. Eventually Katherine Johnson was recognized for her leadership skills, and the men increasingly relied on her to have the answers they needed for their missions. She was smart and courageous. Johnson worked with the NASA team to figure where and when the rocket needed to be launched to put it on the right path to safely land on the lunar surface. Katherine Johnson was one of the reasons we got to the moon. This story has informed me about how Katherine Johnson faced adversity.

Next, Johnson showed that anything is possible even against all the odds. She retired from NASA in 1986. She had accomplished so many things with them. After her retirement she enjoyed traveling, playing bridge, and spending time with her family and friends. In 2016 Katherine Johnson received honorary doctorates in science from universities like West Virginia and Virginia State. She is still known to this day for her many accomplishments. Katherine Johnson passed away at the age of 101. Her life’s story was interesting and inspiring.

In conclusion, Katherine Johnson had a hard early life. She was born with a passion for math. Johnson proved that anyone can do anything if they put their mind to it. She was one of the reasons the United States was the first and only country on the moon. Katherine Johnson was a brave and inspiring person.