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From Wondry I'm Mindy Thomas, and this is Who's Amazing Life who have changed the course of history.
But before they made their mark on the world, they were people like you and me still figuring out what they wanted to do with their lives.
On this episode, you will be that person everyone knows.
You might be a musician, or an athlete, a scientist, or a painter.
You may know what the person accomplished later in life, but now you can experience everything they faced along the way, from challenges and heartbreak to triumphs and excitement.
All the moments that built this person into someone who would change the world.
There will be clues, so pay attention, but only at the end will you find out who you are.
So sit back and imagine your amazing life as The Mathematician.
Imagine you're 10 years old.
You're walking across the quad of West Virginia State College and you are petrified.
There are lots of kids here.
Some are in high school and some are in college, but they all go to school on this campus.
You watch as they laugh and make their way to their classes.
No one seems to notice you.
After all, you barely come up to their elbows.
You follow a group of high school students into a nearby building.
As you look around the foyer, a woman sitting on a bench nearby rushes over from her group of friends.
She kneels down in front of you.
Hi, honey.
Are you lost?
Where's your mom?
My mom's at home.
Oh no, did she forget you?
Do you know your way back?
I don't need to go home.
I need help finding my class.
You hand her a piece of paper with your class schedule on it, hoping she'll give you directions.
She glances down at the paper and then back at you.
You're taking a class here?
She looks at you like there's a giraffe growing out of your head.
She doesn't believe you, but that's okay.
You've been through this before.
People are always surprised when they find out how smart you are.
You're here today because you're really, really good at math.
So good that you're learning at a high school level even though your peers are still in elementary school.
You smile back at her.
Yes, ma'am.
My class starts in 10 minutes, but I don't know where it is.
The woman shrugs in disbelief and directs you where to go.
You're grateful for her help, but her kindness just kind of makes you feel small.
You knew you'd be the youngest one here, but everyone on campus is so big.
You wonder if you'll ever measure up.
When you get to your classroom, the other students stare at you.
You feel your cheeks grow hot as you head to your seat.
You're so small that your feet dangle underneath you.
You're too short for them to touch the ground.
The teacher walks in and does a double take when he spots you.
Well, hello there.
Seems like we have a new student.
Yes, sir.
And you're sure that this is your classroom?
Yes, sir.
I'm here for advanced mathematics.
The teacher looks amused, but you can tell that he doesn't believe you either.
The class erupts into murmurs.
There's no way she goes here.
This is a joke, right?
They don't expect us to babysit.
You look down, embarrassed.
Maybe coming here was a bad idea.
The teacher clears his throat, and the class quiets down.
Okay, new girl.
How about you do the first sum today?
The teacher writes a complicated equation on the blackboard.
You walk up to the front of the classroom, craning your neck to see what he wrote.
You think for a moment.
Oh, you know this.
This is easy.
You drag a small wooden stool up to the blackboard and stand on top of it.
You're finally in your element.
Pick up the chalk and get to work.
The equation is the sum of 1 over x from x equals 1 to infinity.
This is a converging series, so... You solve the problem, explaining your work the whole way.
When you're done, you step off the stool and look around the room.
Everyone looks shocked. and impressed.
You smile wide.
But this is just one equation and one group of students.
You know that you're going to have to work hard in everything you do in order to prove that you deserve to be taken seriously.
You continue to study math at an advanced level and finish high school at 15 years old.
Then you go to college and graduate with a degree in mathematics at age 18.
After college, you attend graduate school at West Virginia University and continue to study mathematics.
You're just one of three black students in the grad school.
It's a huge deal.
The United States is still racially segregated at this time, which means black and white students usually study at separate institutions.
But a recent Supreme Court decision has opened the door for black and white students to study together.
And you are part of the first group of black graduate students at West Virginia University.
It can be scary sometimes, but you've basically spent your whole life in environments where other people make you feel like you aren't welcome.
So you refuse to back down.
You're a pioneer, and you won't let anyone tell you that you don't belong.
You love studying mathematics, but after you meet your husband James, you decide to take a break so you can start a family.
But one day a relative tells you about a new opportunity at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, or the NACA for short.
They're looking for expert mathematicians to help them study outer space.
The work sounds interesting but after years away from the field you know that people will doubt that you have what it takes to do this job.
But you're not going to let someone else's opinion stop you.
You're determined to get this position.
You'll just have to work your hardest to convince the folks at the NACA to give you a chance.
You're hurrying down a long hallway with your arms full of overstuffed folders.
It's the first day of your brand new assignment at the NACA.
You've only been here for a few weeks, but it turns out that you had the perfect skills for a role that just opened up.
You were originally hired to join the NACA West Area Computing Section as a human computer, which means that you help the NACA's engineers by making sure their work is backed up by mathematics.
A human computer has to do all their calculations by hand, so they have to be really smart.
One mistake can mean an entire study goes wrong.
You were excited for the job.
The West Area human computers are all black women.
But now, you've been transferred to work as a human computer for the Flight Research Division.
It's a huge honor, but right now, all you feel is anxious.
Because you're running late.
The NACA is segregated, so you had thought that you were still going to be working in an office with other black human computers.
But instead you'll be working in the bullpen with the engineers, and that's on the other end of campus.
You sprint around the corner and finally find your new workspace.
Sorry I'm late.
But no one looks up at you.
It's almost as if they don't even see you.
You've been ignored and underestimated before, so you try not to let it bother you as you take a seat at your desk.
You open one of your folders and begin to work through the mathematical equations in front of you.
It's exhilarating.
But you can't help but notice that not only are you the only black person in the bullpen, you are also the only woman.
It's hard to ignore how isolating this feels.
As you finish your work, one of the engineers approaches your desk and extends his arm out.
You hand him your paper.
Here you go, sir.
I analyzed the data from this flight test, but I noticed that... Did I ask you to notice anything?
Or did I ask you to analyze the data?
I know, sir, but I thought it... We're not paying you to think.
We're paying you to do the math.
And what is this?
The engineer points to the front page of your report.
It's... my name?
Retype the page without it.
Computers don't author reports.
Yes, sir.
I'll have the updated pages ready by our meeting in ten minutes.
What?
No, computers don't go to meetings either.
Have it back to me in five so I have time to review.
As the engineer walks away, you feel like you've been slapped in the face.
You knew working here wouldn't be easy, but now you're worried it might be too stressful.
It hurts to feel like an outsider all the time and you're starting to think that math isn't worth it.
People have always underestimated you, so that's nothing new, but it feels different this time.
It's tempting to quit, but you still have a job to do.
So you retype the paper and walk it over to the engineer's office.
Here are the updated pages, sir.
But if I could just say, the engineer snatches the paper from your hand and shuts the door in your face.
Your eyes start to well up and you choke back a sob.
You hate feeling like this, but you refuse to let anyone see you cry.
So while the meeting carries on without you, you hurry to the restroom.
But when you get there, your heart sinks.
Swinging right above the restroom door is a sign.
It reads, whites only.
Your eyes sting as hot tears land on your cheeks.
Maybe you'll never belong, no matter what you do.
Finding your way at the NACA continues to be a challenge.
It's isolating working with so many white men.
But you try to focus on the big, complicated equations you have to calculate every day.
You love digging into the math.
Working with numbers feels like dancing to you.
They're elegant and beautiful.
And math makes sense, even when it feels like the world around you doesn't.
Your work is so good that after four years, you're finally allowed to author reports.
Usually, only engineers get to have their names on the official reports that go to your boss.
But now, your name is there too, even though you're still technically just a computer.
It's a small victory. but it makes you feel proud.
You're the very first woman to be credited as an author of a research report at the NACA.
You never say it out loud, but you think it's more proof that you really are a pioneer.
But there isn't a lot of time to think about that now, because the race between the United States and the Soviet Union to send satellites and people to outer space is heating up.
The Flight Research Division has now become the Space Task Group.
And you're doing the calculations that might help send a person to space.
In order to help the United States, you're going to have to do your best and most important work yet.
Because being wrong with your math could be a matter of life and death.
Four years later, you're standing in the control room at NASA.
A lot has changed, including the NACA's name and its policy of segregation.
But right now, you're not concerned about which bathroom you can use.
You're concentrating on the little screen in front of you.
You're a woman, so you're only allowed to stand in the back of the room, but you couldn't be more excited.
Today, the Friendship 7 spacecraft will be launched into orbit and you helped make it happen.
If all your calculations are correct, the Friendship 7 will take astronaut John Glenn from Earth into Earth's orbit and back home safely.
If the mission is successful, He will become the first American ever to orbit Earth.
And he asked for you specifically to double-check the math of NASA's brand-new IBM computers before the mission began.
Out of everyone, John trusts that you can make sure he returns back to Earth safely.
Your work isn't just keeping him safe.
It's making history.
The space task group director calls the room to attention.
He shoots you a look.
You might have crept forward into the room a bit in your excitement.
You take a small step back as he begins to speak.
Today, you don't mind.
You're just glad you get to be here.
I know we're all very nervous, but I have complete confidence in your abilities.
I'm proud to be working with such incredible people who know what's at stake here.
Because of you and your hard work, we're going to catch up to the Russians in no time.
Now let's bring our boy home.
You're proud to be here, but you're nervous too.
You almost can't bring yourself to think about what would happen if your calculations are off.
But you believe in your work and you've done all you can to bring yourself and the entire team to this point.
This launch wouldn't be happening without you, and everyone knows it.
The countdown to launch begins.
And launch in 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
You watch the grainy black and white screen as the Friendship 7 spacecraft lifts off.
The whole room waits with bated breath to see what will happen.
And then the Friendship 7 reaches Earth's orbit.
The room erupts with cheers.
America has just made history.
You've just made history.
The applause is so loud you can feel it echoing through your whole body.
You never knew you could feel like this.
But then, something even better happens.
The director comes over and shakes your hand.
I know I don't say it, well, ever, but great work.
You're an essential part of NASA, and you should be proud.
Congratulations.
Thank you, sir.
I'm grateful I got to be of service to my country.
As the director walks away, you can't help but beam from ear to ear.
You join the rest of the group in applause and cheers.
You know that today is going to be written about in the history books.
And you marvel at the idea that your name and hard work might be recognized for decades to come.
After years of doubts and discrimination, you finally feel like you've earned the respect and admiration you deserve.
Your colleagues at NASA see your talent and skill, and soon the world will too.
Finally, you belong.
After working on the Friendship 7, you join the Apollo 11 team and help beat the Russians to landing the first men on the moon.
With the landing, you make history yet again, right alongside astronauts Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, Michael Collins and the rest of the Space Task Force.
You spend 33 years working at NASA before finally retiring in 1986.
In 2015, President Barack Obama awards you the Presidential Medal of Freedom in recognition of all your hard work pushing American space travel forward with some of NASA's highest profile missions.
The next year, a book is published about your part in helping send America to the moon, and an Oscar-nominated film soon follows.
NASA names a building after you, forever commemorating your work.
You become a symbol of pride and achievement, receiving too many awards to count.
And across the country, you inspire young girls to pursue careers in science and mathematics.
You are Katherine Johnson.
If you like, Whose Amazing Life.
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From Wondery, this is Who's Amazing Life.
This episode contains reenactments and dramatized details.
While we can't know exactly what was said, we use many sources when researching our stories.
Some that were particularly helpful include My Remarkable Journey by Katherine Johnson with Joylette Heilig and Katherine Moore, and Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly.
I'm your host, Mindy Thomas.
This episode was written by Kate Young.
Sound design by Lucas Siegel.
Additional audio assistance is by Sergio Enriquez.
Special thanks to Dr. Trevor Dorn Wallenstein.
Desi Blaylock and Matt Gant are our managing producers.
Our senior producers are Megan Begala, Ginny Bloom, and Jennifer Klein Walker.
Executive producers are Lauren Dee, Marshall Louie, and Erin O'Flaherty for Wondery.
