Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson Statue Katherine Johnson, born Katherine Coleman, of White
Sulphur Springs, West Virginia is one of West Virginia State's most distinguished and celebrated alumni. She started high school on State's
campus at the age of 10 and continued into WVSC. While working here, under the tutelage of Professor W.W. Schieffelin Claytor, her brilliance in the field of mathematics became evident. He encouraged her to
dream bigger, suggesting that she would one day make a great research mathematician. Katherine Coleman
graduated summa cum laude from State in 1937 at the age of 18 with bachelor's degrees in mathematics and French. After completing her
undergraduate work, she began a teacher career in Virginia.1
In 1939, Johnson was one of three hand-selected African American students to integrate West Virginia's graduate schools (WVU), however
after one semester, she decided to leave and start a family with her husband. In 1953, she began her career at the National Advisory
Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), the pre-cursor of NASA." 2
West Virginia State University dedicated a scholarship and unveiled a statue on Saturday, Aug. 25, 2018, honoring NASA
mathematician and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Katherine Johnson, a 1937 graduate of the University.
"An estimated crowd of more than 600 attended the ceremony, which featured remarks from NASA astronaut Dr. Yvonne Cagle as well as Johnson's
daughters, Joylette Hylick and Katherine Moore, and WVSU President Anthony L. Jenkins." 3
Katherine Johnson 
Katherine Johnson statue 6 
Frederick Hightower, the artist, with Katherine Johnson statue 
