Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Katherine Johnson is a powerhouse unlike any other. Entering college at the tender age of 15, Johnson’s advanced mathematical skill-set forced her environment to make room for her. She broke racial and gender barriers by integrating West Virginia University’s graduate program, and she didn’t just stop there.

Her irrefutable intelligence gained her access to NASA, where she would lay the foundation for the Freedom 7 mission, amongst other notable explorations.Her undeniable genius whose brilliance left a major mark on the space program of the 20th century.

In this episode of Black History In Two Minutes or So hosted by Henry Louis Gates Jr., with additional commentary from Evelynn Hammonds of Harvard University and Farah Griffin of Columbia University, we celebrate a woman who challenged the system, all the while paving the way for African-American women to advance their careers in the scientific community.

Black History in Two Minutes (or so) is a 4x Webby Award winning series.

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Archival Materials Courtesy of:

• Associated Press

• Katherine Johnson Photographs provided by Calyx Management Advisors LLC

• National Aeronautics and Space Administration

• The Obama White House

Additional Archival by:

• NBC

Executive Producers:

• Robert F. Smith

• Henry Louis Gates Jr.

• Dyllan McGee

• Deon Taylor

Produced by:

• William Ventura

• Romilla Karnick

Music By:

• Oovra Music

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