The Women of West Computing
Who were the three main protagonists of Hidden Figures?
Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson.
What does "segregation" mean in the context of the Langley laboratory?
It refers to the physical separation of Black and white employees in offices, bathrooms, and cafeterias.
What major historical event in the 1940s created the initial need for more mathematicians at Langley?
World War II.
What is the literal meaning of the title Hidden Figures?
It refers to the mathematical numbers and calculations used to launch rockets.
Why was education so important to the parents of Katherine, Mary, and Dorothy?
Education was seen as the primary tool to overcome poverty and challenge racial stereotypes.
Which character was the first to be promoted to a management/supervisor role at NASA?
Dorothy Vaughan
Where were the African American women mathematicians physically located at Langley?
They were located in the "West Area" (West Computing).
Which country was the United States' primary rival during the "Space Race"?
The Soviet Union (USSR).
What is the symbolic meaning of the title Hidden Figures?
It refers to the women whose contributions to history were "hidden" or unacknowledged for decades because of their race and gender.
True or False: The women in West Computing were allowed to work on any project they wanted from the start.
False; they were assigned specific tasks and often had to fight to be moved to specialized divisions.
What was the primary job title for the women who performed mathematical calculations before electronic computers were used?
They were called "Human Computers".
Mary Jackson had to go to court to attend classes at which high school?
Hampton High School, which was an all-white school at the time.
What is the name of the NASA mission where Katherine Johnson's calculations were critical for John Glenn’s orbit?
Friendship 7.
Identify one example of "irony" found in the book.
An example is the US fighting for freedom and democracy abroad while denying basic civil rights to the Black scientists helping them win.
What lesson can modern organizations learn from Dorothy Vaughan’s transition to the IBM department?
The importance of "upskilling" and adapting to new technology to remain relevant in a changing workforce.
Why did Katherine Johnson have to "insist" on being included in editorial meetings for the Flight Research Division?
At the time, women did not attend these meetings; she challenged this gender norm by asking if there was a law against it
Explain the "Double V" campaign mentioned in the book.
It stood for "Victory" abroad against enemies and "Victory" at home against racial prejudice.
How did the launch of the Soviet satellite "Sputnik" change the working environment at NASA?
It created an intense "Space Race" pressure that made NASA prioritize mathematical accuracy over racial segregation.
What does the "segregated bathroom" symbolize in the story?
It symbolizes the institutional barriers and the daily humiliation intended to remind the women of their "place" in a Jim Crow society.
In what way did Mary Jackson advocate for change for future generations at NASA?
She eventually became NASA’s Federal Women’s Program Manager to help other women and minorities advance their careers.
Discuss how Dorothy Vaughan demonstrated leadership when the IBM machine arrived.
She recognized that the IBM would make human computers obsolete, so she taught herself and her team the Fortran programming language to ensure their job security.
Analyze how the literal journey into space served as a metaphor for the characters' personal growth.
Just as the rockets broke through the atmosphere to reach the "unreachable" space, the women broke through societal "ceilings" of race and gender to reach positions of influence.
Discuss the theme of perseverance in the first twelve chapters regarding mathematical work.
Characters often had to recalculate massive data sets by hand with perfect accuracy, often under extreme deadlines and without the help of modern calculators.
How would changing the "perspective" of the book to a first-person narrator change our understanding of the characters' inner lives?
It would allow readers to experience their private frustrations and emotions more intimately, rather than observing them through a historical lens.
Reflecting on the final chapters, how does the book suggest society can foster racial and gender equality?
By recognizing talent regardless of background and actively dismantling the "institutional barriers" that prevent people from contributing their skills.