Basic Information
| Field | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Joylette Goble |
| Public/Married Name | Joylette Hylick |
| Parents | Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson (1918–2020); James Francis “Jimmy” Goble (d. 1956) |
| Siblings | Constance Goble; Katherine “Kathy” Goble Moore |
| Education | Hampton University (undergraduate); graduate study at Drexel University |
| Career Highlights | NASA Langley Research Center; senior roles in systems/requirements in industry (Lockheed/Lockheed Martin); author and public speaker |
| Notable Publications | My Remarkable Journey (with Katherine Johnson and Kathy Moore, 2021); One Step Further (children’s title with family) |
| Known For | STEM career following her mother’s path; co-authoring books; public speaking on space history and education |
| Residence | Mount Laurel, New Jersey (publicly listed) |
| Years Active | Late 20th century–present (public speaking and authorship in the 2010s–2020s) |
Origins and Early Influences
Joylette Goble stepped into a household where numbers were as familiar as lullabies. As the eldest daughter of Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson—the NASA mathematician whose orbital calculations helped launch America into the space age—Joylette grew up watching precision and persistence at the dinner table. Her father, James Francis “Jimmy” Goble, a chemistry scholar, passed in 1956, leaving Joylette, Constance, and Kathy to be raised by a mother who solved trajectories by day and shepherded three daughters by night. In 1959, the family grew again when Katherine married U.S. Army veteran James A. “Jim” Johnson. Across those years, the rhythms of education, community, and possibility were constant. If you’re born in a household that treats math as music, you learn to hear its beat.
Education: Building Foundations
Joylette pursued undergraduate studies at Hampton University, one of the nation’s historic engines of Black excellence and STEM leadership. She later undertook graduate study at Drexel University, sharpening the technical and managerial skills that would define her professional life. These were not merely academic milestones; they were stepping stones into laboratories and control rooms where the work matters and the margins for error are thin.
At NASA Langley: Following a Trail of Equations
Joylette worked at NASA’s Langley Research Center, the same campus where her mother’s pencil made history. In an agency culture defined by reliability and rigor, Joylette contributed to the flow of engineering and analytical work that underpins flight readiness—work that rarely grabs headlines but always grabs attention among engineers. It’s easy to romanticize the launch pad, but the truth is that most miracles in aerospace happen at desks studded with graph paper, code printouts, and checklists. Joylette’s career speaks to that quiet rigor: the long arc of analysis that allows a vehicle to reach orbit and return home again.
Industry Years: Systems, Requirements, and the Art of Precision
After NASA, Joylette transitioned into industry roles with Lockheed/Lockheed Martin and related technology and consulting work. Her responsibilities in systems and requirements trace a throughline from government to industry: define what a complex system must do, prove that it does it, and document how it does so in a way that withstands audit and time. If engineering is a symphony, requirements are the score—every instrument, every timing cue, written down so that the performance sounds the same no matter the venue. Colleagues and event bios describe a career spanning about three decades across NASA and the private sector, culminating in a portfolio of work that prizes accountability as much as innovation.
Author and Storyteller: Turning Trajectories into Tales
In 2021, Joylette joined her mother and sister Kathy as co-authors on My Remarkable Journey, a memoir that weaves the story of Katherine Johnson’s life with the family’s own experiences across seven decades. She also collaborated on children’s titles, such as One Step Further, inviting younger readers into a story where perseverance, curiosity, and community create lift. These books are more than family albums; they are field guides for how to navigate with intellect and heart, and they have been shared in libraries, classrooms, and living rooms around the country.
Public Voice: Ceremonies, Classrooms, and the Long View
From 2016 onward—when the nation began to more widely celebrate the contributions of Black women mathematicians in the space race—Joylette increasingly took the stage. She spoke at universities, science centers, and book events, often alongside her sister, to illuminate both the well-known and the not-yet-told arcs of aerospace history. She represented the family at major moments, including ceremonies recognizing Katherine Johnson’s contributions, such as the renaming of NASA’s IV&V facility in West Virginia. These appearances are part education, part remembrance, part invitation: a call to students to pick up the pencil and continue the calculations.
Family Tree at a Glance
| Family Member | Relationship to Joylette | Notable Details |
|---|---|---|
| Katherine Coleman Goble Johnson | Mother | NASA mathematician; computed trajectories for Mercury and Apollo; Presidential Medal of Freedom (2015) |
| James Francis “Jimmy” Goble | Father | Chemistry scholar; died in 1956 |
| James A. “Jim” Johnson | Stepfather | U.S. Army veteran; married Katherine in 1959 |
| Constance Goble | Sister | Member of the Goble–Johnson family trio |
| Katherine “Kathy” Goble Moore | Sister | Co-author and frequent public co-presenter |
A Working Timeline
- 1939: Katherine Coleman marries James Francis Goble.
- 1956: James Goble passes away; Joylette is raised by her mother alongside sisters Constance and Kathy.
- 1959: Katherine marries James A. Johnson.
- 1960s–1980s: Joylette studies at Hampton University; later attends graduate study at Drexel University; begins professional career.
- Late 20th century: Joylette works at NASA Langley, then moves into industry with roles at Lockheed/Lockheed Martin and in IT/consulting.
- 2016–2019: Public recognition for Katherine Johnson accelerates; Joylette and family appear at ceremonies and educational events; NASA facilities and scholarships are dedicated in Katherine’s name.
- 2021: Publication of My Remarkable Journey; children’s titles highlight the family story for younger readers.
- 2020s: Ongoing speaking, interviews, and participation in STEM outreach and commemorations.
Themes That Echo Across Generations
There’s a striking symmetry in the trajectories of Katherine Johnson and her eldest daughter. Both emphasize preparation. Both attach pride to precise work. And both, when asked about the significance of their paths, redirect the spotlight toward the next generation. Joylette’s career underscores a truth that underlies every launch: success is the sum of countless careful steps, many of them taken by people whose names you may never hear. Her books, panels, and appearances make those steps visible, and in doing so they broaden the map for students who want to chart courses of their own.
Why Her Story Resonates Now
STEM needs builders, testers, verifiers, and translators—people who can code a solution and then explain it to the world. Joylette Goble has occupied each of those roles at different phases: engineer, requirements lead, author, and public voice. In a century defined by complex systems, she makes a compelling case for the durable value of craft. The math matters. So does the message.
FAQ
Who is Joylette Goble?
She is the eldest daughter of NASA mathematician Katherine Johnson and a STEM professional who worked at NASA Langley and in industry.
Is Joylette Goble the same person as Joylette Hylick?
Yes; Goble is her family name and Hylick is her married/public name.
Where did she go to school?
She graduated from Hampton University and later pursued graduate study at Drexel University.
What did she do at NASA and in industry?
She worked in technical, analytical, and systems/requirements roles at NASA Langley and later with Lockheed/Lockheed Martin.
What books has she co-authored?
She co-authored My Remarkable Journey and contributed to children’s titles such as One Step Further.
Where does she live?
Public event bios list Mount Laurel, New Jersey.
Who are her siblings?
Constance Goble and Katherine “Kathy” Goble Moore.
Did she participate in NASA recognition events for Katherine Johnson?
Yes, she frequently appeared at ceremonies and public events, including facility renamings and commemorations.
Does she share personal financial information?
No, reliable public information about her private finances is not available.
What is she known for today?
STEM outreach, authorship, and public speaking that connect space history to future-focused education.
