CHARLESTON, W.Va. — The U.S. Senate passed a resolution Thursday honoring late NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson.
Johnson, who died Monday at 101 years old, provided calculations for NASA from June 1953 to 1986. The White Sulphur Springs native’s work was instrumental in John Glenn’s orbit around the Earth as well as the United States’ mission to the moon.
U.S. Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va., introduced the resolution, which the Senate unanimously passed.
“Because of the accomplishments of intellectual leaders like Katherine Johnson, more young women have, and will, blaze their own trails in science, technology, engineering, and math fields, and will continue to make our state and entire nation proud. We cannot thank Katherine enough for her contributions to our state and our nation and she will be missed greatly by us all,” Manchin said in a press release.
Capito said Johnson, an African American woman, showed there was no obstacle too high.
“As a West Virginian, Katherine used her toughness and grit to surpass societal barriers and turn her dreams into a reality. The legacy of Katherine Johnson will be remembered every time we look up at the moon and remember how her work took us there for the first time,” Capito said.
“As the first female U.S. Senator from West Virginia, I am not only continuously inspired by Katherine’s story, but I am also inspired by her kindness and humility. Generations of little girls who also aspire to reach the stars will draw strength and encouragement from Katherine’s legacy. Her work is no longer hidden by the shadows of the men she put on the moon. Katherine Johnson will forever be a star in the Mountain State and will be significantly missed by all.”
Johnson received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015. NASA’s Independent Verification and Validation Facility in Marion County was renamed last July to honor Johnson.