Katherine Johnson

Creola Katherine Johnson was an American mathematician whose calculations of orbital mechanics as a NASA employee were critical to the success of the first and subsequent U.S. crewed spaceflights. During her 33-year career 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".

26 August 1918

Born on the same birth day (26 August): Arthur James Arnot • Aubrey Schenck • Bernardino Poccetti • Chris Burke (actor) • Don Bowman (singer) • Evan Ross • Federigo Zuccari • Frederick V of the Palatinate • Gene Moore (outfielder) • Geraldine Ferraro • Gerd Bonk • Irving R. Levine • Jack Hirshleifer • Jessie Diggins • Joe Solomon • Melissa McCarthy • Morgan Ensberg • Prem Tinsulanonda • Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha • Tino Best • Tom Ridge

Born in the same month (August 1918): Alan Jay Lerner • Albert Seedman • August 25 • Betty Oliphant • Billy Johnson (baseball) • Billy Reay • Eddie Jefferson • Evelyn Ankers • Frederick Sanger • James MacGregor Burns • Jelle Zijlstra • Kermit Beahan • L. B. Cole • Larry Haines • Michael John Wise • Noor Hassanali • Richard Greene • Ted Williams • Tom Drake