Key Characters
these women were known as "computers" before the electronic era of computing
West Area Computers
the West Computers faced obstacles due to this systemic issue
racial and gender segregation
This theme is central to the story as the women work to break racial and gender barriers
perseverance
This law, passed in 1964, helped end segregation in workplaces like NASA
Civil Rights Act
Define trajectory in the context of spaceflight.
the path of an object moving under forces such as gravity
This character became the first Black female engineer at NASA
Mary Jackson
In Chapter 15, Langley’s workforce is focused on helping the U.S. compete in this major international conflict.
Cold War
The story challenges this false assumption that women, especially Black women, were not capable of high-level mathematics.
gender and racial bias
This event in 1957 escalated the space race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union
the launch of Sputnik
"She would no longer be a human computer; she was an engineer." – Who is being described?
Mary Jackson
This character was a key mentor and advocate for Black women at Langley Research Center
Dorothy Vaughan
Mary Jackson overcame workplace barriers by doing this to become an engineer
taking night classes in an all-white school
The theme of education is emphasized through Mary Jackson’s need to do this in order to advance her career.
fight for access to higher education?
John Glenn’s 1962 mission was significant because he became the first American to do this.
orbit the Earth
"The women had spent years honing their skills, waiting for the right moment to shine." – What theme does this quote illustrate?
perseverance and preparation
This mathematician played a crucial role in the space race and calculated John Glenn’s trajectory
Katherine Johnson
In Chapter 20, Katherine Johnson worked on equations that would help NASA with what specific challenge?
orbital mechanics
The novel highlights this theme by showing the importance of teamwork and collaboration
collective progress
In Chapter 19, NASA was created from this earlier organization
NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics)
Dorothy Vaughan was known for mastering this new technology to help NASA advance its computing power.
FORTRAN (computer programming
In Chapter 17, Katherine Johnson had to verify the numbers for this astronaut’s orbital mission.
John Glenn
By the end of Hidden Figures, Katherine Johnson’s calculations were crucial in ensuring the success of this historic 1969 mission, even though she was not publicly recognized for her contributions at the time.
the Apollo 11 moon landing
This theme is reflected in the women’s fight for recognition in a segregated workplace
social justice
The U.S. government responded to Sputnik with this initiative to improve STEM education and research.
National Defense Education Act
"Let’s get the girl to check the numbers." – Which astronaut said this, referring to Katherine Johnson?
John Glenn