Ever since she was little, Katherine Johnson longed to be a mathematician. But women’s careers were largely limited to teaching or nursing when she graduated from college in 1937. So Johnson taught math until she landed her dream job as a “computer” at the agency that would become NASA. There, her genius for math and determination in the face of rampant sexism and racism led to promotion after promotion. Astronaut John Glen trusted her calculations more than the nascent electronic computers NASA was beginning to employ, and it was her extraordinary ability to devise flight trajectories that brought Apollo 13 back to earth after an in-flight explosion in 1970. A trailblazer who co-authored 26 scientific papers throughout her career and was essential to the development of the American space program, Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
Here's what you'll need to dress up as Katherine Johnson for Halloween!
- Pink dress: Amazon Link
- Peter Pan collar or shirt: Amazon Link
- Cat-eye glasses: Amazon Link
- NASA badge: Amazon Link
- Black wig: Amazon Link
For your trick-or-treat bag, paint space art on a canvas bag! Join amazing Rosie Innovator Gitika Gorthi as she shows you how to do it while providing an awesome lesson on the objects and appearance of space in this YouTube video. You'll need paints, brushes, and a canvas bag to paint (available here at Amazon).
Can’t wait to learn even more about Katherine? Check out Helaine Becker’s illustrated biography Counting on Katherine: How Katherine Johnson Saved Apollo 13 (published in 2018). Our read along of this amazing book is available on Rosie Riveters' YouTube!
