Katherine Johnson Contribution To The Apollo Project

The Apollo Missions are no exception to the fact that a vast majority of individuals who have played vital roles in the progression of mankind are forgotten by history. Most Americans know about Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, but few can name anyone else involved with the project. To an untrained eye, this seems to have no effect on any aspect of society; by contrast, those who understand the full effort behind the incredible feats that were accomplished are left uneasy. The mainstream media, and even most educational attempts, highlight the amazing ability of the astronauts to reach the moon, rejecting to mention all of the work that had been done previously by numerous other people. Many engineers, mathematicians, and collaborators combined their resources to carry such an iconic project through. …show more content…
In fact, there was a group of African American women, consisting of engineers and mathematicians, who had crucial roles, without whom the project would not have succeeded. One of these women was Katherine Johnson, and she made calculations that took those men to the moon and returned them safely to Earth. Although some may say it is a minor detail to the significant story, Katherine Johnson’s contributions to the Apollo missions should be taught to students in elementary schools. This will encourage young girls to pursue careers in STEM while concurrently providing a truthful account for a crucial event in American history, thereby improving the welfare of American social progression, specifically with women in science and