“Katherine Johnson is a shining example of what you can truly do with hard work and persistence. Under what had to be the most difficult of circumstances she persevered and stuck to her values. She is a real West Virginia and American hero. To honor her legacy every August 26th, on her birthday, is the least we can do.”

American businessman and politician

James Conley Justice II is an American businessman and politician. Born in 1951, he has served since 2025 as the junior United States senator from West Virginia and previously held office as the state’s 36th governor from 2017 to 2025. A Republican, Justice inherited a coal mining business from his father that grew into a large family enterprise. He and his family also own the Greenbrier, the luxury resort and National Historic Landmark in White Sulphur Springs. He is known for his business background as well as his long public career in West Virginia.