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Katherine Johnson, NASA mathematician portrayed in Hidden Figures, has died

By Amanda Mullen

HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson (C) and director Ezra Edelman (R) and producer Caroline Waterlow (L), winners of Best Documentary Feature for 'O.J.: Made in America' pose in the press room at the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Dan MacMedan/Getty Images)
HOLLYWOOD, CA - FEBRUARY 26: NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson (C) and director Ezra Edelman (R) and producer Caroline Waterlow (L), winners of Best Documentary Feature for 'O.J.: Made in America' pose in the press room at the 89th Annual Academy Awards at Hollywood & Highland Center on February 26, 2017 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Dan MacMedan/Getty Images) /
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Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician who made strides for women — and particularly women of color — in science, has died at 101.

Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician who made strides for both science and women working in it, has died at the age of 101. The news broke on Monday morning, with news outlets like The New York Times reporting that Johnson passed away in the retirement home she was living in, located in Newport News, Va.

Johnson wasn’t a well-known name in science for years, despite her significant contributions to the Apollo 11 mission back in 1969. Without her work, it’s hard to say whether Neil Armstrong would have landed on the moon — or made it back to Earth after doing so. Johnson also had a hand in several other major NASA projects, including the Friendship 7’s orbit around Earth in 1962. Unfortunately, being a woman of color during a time where female scientists weren’t embraced — and during the Jim Crow period no less — Johnson wasn’t acknowledged for much of her hard work.

This is why the 2016 film Hidden Figures strove to shine a spotlight on Johnson and the other women who never received recognition for their part in NASA’s advancements. The film chronicles Johnson’s story, as well as Dorothy Vaughan‘s and Mary Jackson’s. Johnson was the last of the three to pass away, though thanks to the effort put into making their stories known, it’s unlikely she’ll be forgotten anytime soon.

Following Johnson’s death, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine released a statement on the organization’s website, saying, ““NASA is deeply saddened by the loss of a leader from our pioneering days, and we send our deepest condolences to the family of Katherine Johnson. Ms. Johnson helped our nation enlarge the frontiers of space even as she made huge strides that also opened doors for women and people of color in the universal human quest to explore space. Her dedication and skill as a mathematician helped put humans on the moon and before that made it possible for our astronauts to take the first steps in space that we now follow on a journey to Mars. Her Presidential Medal of Freedom was a well-deserved recognition.”

Many have taken to Twitter to share their own tributes to the NASA icon, sharing hashtags like #RestInPower to honor her and her work.

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