Joylette Goble, better known publicly as Joylette Hylick, is often searched because she is the daughter of Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician whose work became widely known through Hidden Figures. But Joylette also built a technical career of her own.
She studied mathematics, worked for decades at NASA Langley Research Center, later retired from Lockheed Martin, and helped preserve her mother’s story through books and public events.
Quick answer: Joylette Goble Hylick is a mathematician and information technology professional, former NASA Langley employee, author, and daughter of Katherine Johnson.
Joylette Goble at a glance
| Detail | Publicly documented information |
| Public name | Joylette Goble Hylick / Joylette Hylick |
| Mother | Katherine Johnson |
| Father | James Francis Goble |
| Education | B.A. in Mathematics, Hampton University |
| Graduate study | M.S. in Information Systems, Drexel University |
| Career | NASA Langley Research Center, later Lockheed Martin |
| Books | One Step Further, My Remarkable Journey |
Who is Joylette Goble?
Joylette Goble is one of the three daughters of Katherine Johnson and James Francis Goble. NASA and other established sources commonly identify her by her married name, Joylette Hylick.
Her mother became a central figure in American space history for mathematical work at NACA and NASA. Katherine Johnson calculated and checked flight trajectories used during the early US space program and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.
Joylette’s own record also has a strong STEM connection.
Joylette Goble’s education and NASA career
Joylette studied mathematics at Hampton University and graduated in 1962. National Geographic later reported that she began working for NASA after graduation.
A professional biography published with Katherine Johnson’s memoir states that Joylette spent more than 30 years at NASA Langley Research Center in Virginia. She later earned an M.S. in Information Systems from Drexel University and eventually retired from Lockheed Martin Corporation.
Career timeline
1962: Graduated from Hampton University and entered the NASA workforce.
More than 30 years: Worked at NASA Langley Research Center.
Later career: Continued in information technology and retired from Lockheed Martin.
This background matters because it shows that Joylette was not only connected to a famous mathematician. She developed her own long career in mathematics and technology.
Joylette Goble and the Hidden Figures legacy
Joylette later became directly involved in telling Katherine Johnson’s story.
In 2021, Joylette Hylick and her sister Katherine Moore were credited with their mother on two books:
- One Step Further: My Story of Math, the Moon, and a Lifelong Mission
- My Remarkable Journey: A Memoir
The first introduces Katherine Johnson’s life to younger readers. The second gives a fuller account of her childhood, education, family life, NASA career and experiences with racial barriers in 20th-century America.
Their involvement made the books more than outside biographies. They included the perspective of Katherine Johnson’s own family.
Why Joylette Hylick appeared at the 2024 Congressional Gold Medal ceremony
On September 18, 2024, Joylette Hylick and Katherine Moore accepted the Congressional Gold Medal on behalf of Katherine Johnson at the US Capitol.
NASA confirmed that Katherine Johnson, Christine Darden, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson were honored for their service to the United States. A separate medal also recognized the wider group of women who worked as computers, mathematicians and engineers at NACA and NASA.
The ceremony was one of Joylette’s most visible recent appearances and reinforced her role in protecting her mother’s historical legacy.
Joylette Goble’s role today
Joylette and Katherine Moore are also associated with the Katherine Johnson Foundation, which focuses on education and encouraging young people to pursue STEM careers.
For readers searching for Joylette Goble, the strongest verified picture is clear: she is a former NASA professional, mathematics graduate, author and public steward of Katherine Johnson’s legacy.
FAQ about Joylette Goble
Yes. Joylette Goble Hylick is one of Katherine Johnson’s daughters with her first husband, James Francis Goble.
Yes. Reliable biographical sources state that she spent more than 30 years at NASA Langley Research Center.
She earned a B.A. in Mathematics from Hampton University and an M.S. in Information Systems from Drexel University.
Yes. Public records and publishing credits commonly use Joylette Hylick or Joylette Goble Hylick.
She is credited on One Step Further and My Remarkable Journey, both published in 2021.