Katherine Johnson Quotes in Hidden Figures (2016)

Katherine Johnson: There are no colored bathrooms in this building, or any building outside the West Campus, which is half a mile away. Did you know that? I have to walk to Timbuktu just to relieve myself! And I can't use one of the handy bikes. Picture that, Mr. Harrisson. My uniform, skirt below the knees and my heels. And simple necklace pearls. Well, I don't own pearls. Lord knows you don't pay the colored enough to afford pearls! And I work like a dog day and night, living on coffee from a pot none of you want to touch! So, excuse me if I have to go to the restroom a few times a day.

Katherine Johnson: How can you be possibly ogling these white men?

Mary Jackson: It's equal rights. I have the right to see fine in every color

Colonel Jim Johnson: They let women handle that sort of...

Colonel Jim Johnson: [sees Katherine looking offended] That's not what I mean.

Katherine Johnson: What do you mean?

Colonel Jim Johnson: I'm just surprised at something so taxing.

Katherine Johnson: Oh Mr. Johnson, if I were you, I'd quit talking right now.

Colonel Jim Johnson: I don't mean no disrespect.

Katherine Johnson: I will have you know, I was the first negro female student at West Virginia university graduate school. On any given day, I analyze the binomial levels air displacement, friction and velocity. And compute over ten thousand calculations by cosine, square root and lately analytic geometry. By hand. There are twenty, bright, highly capable negro women in the west computing group, and we're proud to be doing our part for the country. So yes, they let women do some things at NASA, Mr. Johnson. And it's not because we wear skirts. It's because we wear glasses. Have a good day.

Al Harrison: So, er, do you think we'll get to the moon?

Katherine Johnson: We're already there, sir.

Colonel Jim Johnson: I'm sorry, Katherine.

Katherine Johnson: For what, Jim?

Colonel Jim Johnson: Underestimating you, and any other woman like you, though I don't imagine there's many.

Katherine Johnson: That's good practice, right there.

Al Harrison: Within these walls, who... who makes the rules?

Katherine Johnson: You, sir. You are the boss. You just have to act like one, sir.