Segregation shaped their daily experiences, particularly for Johnson. When her skills in analytic geometry are finally noticed, Johnson joined the Space Task Group that plots critical flight paths. Her white male engineers dismissed her contributions. However, when discrepancies arise in the IBM’s computer calculations, Johnson’s unparalleled mathematical skills became evident and indispensable. Her resolve, precision and diligence helped to ensure the success of the Friendship 7 mission with John Glenn aboard.

Jackson would later earn her engineering degree and  became NASA’s first African American female engineer, while Dorothy Vaughn blazed trails as NASA’s first African American supervisor. Katherine Goble Johnson co-authored reports with the lead engineer and calculated crucial trajectories for the Apollo 11 and Space Shuttle missions.

In 2015, Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, and in 2016, NASA honored her enduring legacy by naming the Computational Building at Langley Research Center for her, a testament to her profound influence.

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