Huntsville man remembers American space icon Katherine Johnson

Huntsville man remembers American space icon Katherine Johnson

Today - the country and space community are remembering the life of a nasa pioneer.

Katherine johnson - the nasa mathematician depicted in the movie "hidden figures" died today at the age of 101.

She was one of the first african american women to work for nasa - and helped put americans on the moon.

Today - waay 31 had the chance to speak with people who knew her.

They told waay 31's ashley carter that johnson's legacy will live on for many years to come.

"we've lost one of the legends of nasa and one of the legends of black america."

James jennings and katherine johnson in the early 1970's - when they were part of the national technical association.... the 2 were among the few african american mathmaticians working for nasa at the time.

James jenninings, retired nasa mathmatician: "folks in nasa in those days we tried to get to know the other blacks that were in nasa."

Jennings ... worked for the marshall space flight center .... and was familiar with johnson's work at the langley research center in virginia.

James jenninings, retired nasa mathmatician: "aware of what she was doing, and proud of what she was doing."

Johnson was part of the space flight of alan shephard...which put the first american in space and the apollo 11 mission... james jenninings, retired nasa mathmatician: "whenever anybody look back at the space program they would see that there was a black american that was a part of this program and she wasn't just as a token she actually performed work that enabled people to go to the moon."

But for years - her work never made history books.

She would become what was known as a 'hidden figure' in nasa's history until 20-16 when a book and the movie called "hidden figures" put her work o the forefront james jenninings, retired nasa mathmatician: "i know that there was lots of people nasa, like there was a lot of hidden figures and i was glad to see one of them get the accoloades that they deserved."

Jennings says even though the news of her death saddens him...he's glad she got the recognition she deserved before she passed away... james jenninings, retired nasa mathmatician: "we've lost one of our icons but our hope that the other people that will try to follow into her footsteps especially young black women, they find out that if katherine can do it back in the time that she did it surely if they put forth the effort they can do it today."

Ashley: already shot: "even though johnson passed away at 101 years old her death was unexpected, nasa has released a statement concerning her passing,but they also are expected to host a series of tributes in her honor.

In huntsville ashley carter waay 31 news.

Multiple agencies are commenting on the passing of johnson.

The space foundation says her "courage, class and grace not only helped open the frontiers of early space flight, but showed us all how there is