The remarkable woman at heart of the smash New York Times bestseller and Oscar-winning film Hidden Figures tells the full story of her life, including what it took to work at NASA, help land the first man on the moon, and live through a century of turmoil and change.In 2015, at the age of 97, Katherine Johnson became a global celebrity. President Barack Obama awarded her the prestigious Presidential Medal of Freedom--the nation's highest civilian honor--for her pioneering work as a mathematician on NASA's first flights into space. Her contributions to America's space program were celebrated in a blockbuster and Academy-award nominated movie.
In this memoir, Katherine shares her personal journey from child prodigy in the Allegheny Mountains of West Virginia to NASA human computer. In her life after retirement, she served as a beacon of light for her family and community alike. Her story is centered around the basic tenets of her life--no one is better than you, education is paramount, and asking questions can break barriers. The memoir captures the many facets of this unique woman: the curious "daddy's girl," pioneering professional, and sage elder.
This multidimensional portrait is also the record of a century of racial history that reveals the influential role educators at segregated schools and Historically Black Colleges and Universities played in nurturing the dreams of trailblazers like Katherine. The author pays homage to her mentor--the African American professor who inspired her to become a research mathematician despite having his own dream crushed by racism.
Infused with the uplifting wisdom of a woman who handled great fame with genuine humility and great tragedy with enduring hope, My Remarkable Journey ultimately brings into focus a determined woman who navigated tough racial terrain with soft-spoken grace--and the unrelenting grit required to make history and inspire future generations.
About the Author :
Katherine Johnson, a 1937 West Virginia State University graduate, was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital trajectories for NASA were critical to the success of U.S. spaceflights. During her thirty-five years 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."" In 2015, President Barack Obama awarded Katherine the nation's highest civilian award, the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The upcoming 2021 launch of a USAF Space Force GPS III Satellite has been named in her honor, and she has been awarded thirteen honorary doctorate degrees. Four major buildings, including two NASA facilities, have been named in her honor. She died in February 2020 at the age of 101.
Joylette Hylick, daughter of Katherine Johnson, is a mathematician and information technology professional in her own right. She spent over thirty years at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia and eventually retired from Lockheed Martin Corporation. She earned an M.S. in Information Systems from Drexel University in Philly and a B.A. in Mathematics from Hampton University in VA.
Lisa Frazier Page, an editor and award-winning reporter at the Washington Post, is the coauthor of the New York Times bestseller The Pact: Three Young Men Make a Promise and Fulfill a Dream. A graduate of New Orleans' Dillard University, she holds a master's degree from Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. She grew up in Bogalusa, Louisiana, and lives in the Washington, DC, area with her husband.
Robin Miles, named a Golden Voice by AudioFile magazine, has won several Audie and Earphones Awards. She holds a BA in theater studies from Yale University, an MFA in acting from the Yale School of Drama, and a certificate from the British American Drama Academy in England.
Review :
"[A] winning memoir...a woman who never sought the limelight reflects on a life lived both boldly and humbly."
-- "O, The Oprah Magazine"
"Her brilliance and numbers helped me and many others reach the stars. A storied and rich legacy that will resonate with many generations of explorers."
-- "Astronaut Leland Melvin, author of Chasing Space"
"Katherine Johnson's personal story never gets old, and never fails to inspire."
-- "Margot Lee Shetterly, author of Hidden Figures "
"Narrator Robin Miles's engaging style enlivens the work as her voice captures the wonder, triumph, and grit of the author...This is one of the most enjoyable audio titles of the year. Wiinner of the AudioFile Earphones Award."
-- "AudioFile"
