Space Race & Big Accomplishments
What was NACA’s main goal during World War II?
👉 Answer: To build better, faster airplanes for the war
What was one place Black and white people could NOT share?
👉 Answer: Schools, buses, bathrooms, restaurants (any one)
Who was the first Black woman supervisor at NACA?
👉 Answer: Dorothy Vaughan
CHAPTER 3
What job did Dorothy consider before Langley?
👉 Answer: Laundry worker
Why is Chapter 1 called “Setting the Scene”?
👉 Answer: It introduces the people, time period, and situation.
What job did the women at Langley do as “computers”?
👉 Answer: They solved math problems and processed data for engineers
Where did Black passengers have to sit on buses?
👉 Answer: In the back / behind the “Colored Line”
What was Mary Jackson known for becoming?
👉 Answer: An engineer
CHAPTER 5
Why were women hired for new jobs during World War II?
👉 Answer: Men were away fighting in the war
What is one challenge Dorothy faced as a Black woman?
👉 Answer: Segregation or limited job opportunities.
Why was “victory through air power” important?
👉 Answer: Better airplanes could help the U.S. win the war
What were “poll taxes” or tests used for?
👉 Answer: To stop African Americans from voting
What subject were all the women especially skilled in?
👉 Answer: Math
CHAPTER 3
What was the laundry job like?
👉 Answer: Hot, hard, and low-paying
Why were the women’s accomplishments so important?
👉 Answer: They succeeded despite discrimination AND being women in a field dominated by men.
What major accomplishment is Katherine Johnson known for?
👉 Answer: Helping send the first American into space and bring him back safely
How were Black workers treated at Langley compared to white workers?
hint: CHAPTER 2
👉 Answer: They were separated and given different workspaces
Why did Dorothy Vaughan want a new job during the war?
👉 Answer: To earn more money and support her family
CHAPTER 4
What did students learn in “wartime mathematics”?
👉 Answer: Budgeting and using ration books
What is one message of the book so far?
👉 Answer: Hard work and perseverance can lead to change
How did small improvements to airplanes make a big difference?
hint: CHAPTER 2
👉 Answer: Small changes improved speed and performance, which helped win the war
What is the “Double V”?
hint: CHAPTER 5
👉 Answer: Victory abroad (war) and victory at home (civil rights)
What risk did Dorothy take by going to Langley?
👉 Answer: Leaving her family and moving to a new place for work
CHAPTER 1
Why was World War II an opportunity for African Americans?
👉 Answer: It created new jobs and chances for better lives.
Why might African Americans question fighting in World War II?
👉 Answer: They were asked to fight for freedom abroad while not having full freedom at home