Barbie Inspiring Women Series Katherine Johnson Doll
Brand: Barbie
Color: Multicolor
While growing up in White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, Katherine Johnson (her name was Coleman as a child) displayed an intense curiosity and an extraordinary knack with numbers. As a child prodigy, Katherine entered high school at 10 years old and graduated from college at the top of her class when she was just eighteen.
In 1953, she joined a pool of women hired by NASA to work as human computers. Katherine calculated the trajectory of NASA's first American-manned flight into space.
Her flawless calculations helped the Apollo astronauts land and return safely from their voyage to the moon. Katherine's figures were so consistently accurate, that when NASA switched to mechanical computers, they had Katherinedouble-check the accuracy of the machine's results.
The Barbie Inspiring WomenKatherine Johnsondoll celebrates the achievements of a pioneer who broke through barriers of race and gender.
Like the trajectories she calculated, Katherine's contributions inspire young people to excel in math and science, and to reach for the stars.