White Sulphur Springs in Greenbrier County, West Virginia — The American South (Appalachia)
Katherine Johnson
Erected 2020 by City of White Sulphur Springs and West Virginia Archives & History.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: African Americans • Air & Space • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1918.
Location. 37° 47.307′ N, 80° 18.228′ W. Marker is in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, in Greenbrier County. Marker is on Main Street West (U.S. 60) 0.1 miles west of Salisbury Avenue, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is in this post office area: White Sulphur Springs WV 24986, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. White Sulphur (approx. 0.2 miles away); Kate's Mountain (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Greenbrier Clinic and Project Greek Island (approx. 0.3 miles away); The Old White (approx. 0.3 miles away); President's Cottage (approx. 0.4 miles away); The Springhouse (approx. half a mile away); a different marker also named The Springhouse (approx. half a mile away); Tennis and the Outdoor Swimming Pool (approx. half a mile away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in White Sulphur Springs.
Also see . . . Wikipedia Entry for Katherine Johnson. Excerpt:
Creola Katherine Johnson (née Coleman; August 26, 1918 – February 24, 2020) was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. During her 33-year career at NASA and its predecessor, she earned a reputation for mastering complex manual calculations and helped pioneer the use of computers to perform the tasks. The space agency noted her “historical role as one of the first African-American women to work as a NASA scientist.” ...(Submitted on October 11, 2023.)
From 1958 until her retirement in 1986, Johnson worked as an aerospace technologist, moving during her career to the Spacecraft Controls Branch. She calculated the trajectory for the May 5, 1961, space flight of Alan Shepard, the first American in space. She also calculated the launch window for his 1961 Mercury mission. She plotted backup navigation charts for astronauts in case of electronic failures. When NASA used electronic computers for the first time to calculate John Glenn’s orbit around Earth, officials called on Johnson to verify the computer’s numbers; Glenn had asked for her specifically and had refused to fly unless Johnson verified the calculations. Biography.com states these were “far more difficult calculations, to account for the gravitational pulls of celestial bodies.”
Author Margot Lee Shetterly stated, “So the astronaut who became a hero, looked to this black woman in the still-segregated South at the time as one of the key parts of making sure his mission would be a success.” She added that, in a time where computing was ‘women’s work’ and engineering was left to men, “it really does have to do with us over the course of time sort of not valuing that work that was done by women, however necessary, as much as we might. And it has taken history to get a perspective on that.”
Johnson later worked directly with digital computers. Her ability and reputation for accuracy helped to establish confidence in the new technology. In 1961, her work helped to ensure that Alan Shepard’s Freedom 7 Mercury capsule would be found quickly after landing, using the accurate trajectory that had been established.
Credits. This page was last revised on October 11, 2023. It was originally submitted on October 11, 2023, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio. This page has been viewed 113 times since then and 66 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 11, 2023, by J. J. Prats of Powell, Ohio.