Hidden Figures audiobook cover - The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians who Helped Win the Space Race

Hidden Figures

The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians who Helped Win the Space Race

Margot Lee Shetterly

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ScienceBiography & Memoir

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Key Takeaways from Hidden Figures

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Hidden Figures
Historical Context+
The West Computers+
Overcoming Discrimination+
Breaking Gender Barriers+
Scientific Legacy+

Quiz — Test Your Understanding

Question 1 of 6
Why did NACA initially begin hiring black women as mathematicians in the 1940s?
  • A. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 mandated equal hiring practices across all federal agencies.
  • B. President Roosevelt issued executive orders desegregating the defense industry due to WWII demands and activist pressure.
  • C. The Soviet Union's launch of Sputnik forced the US to recruit mathematicians from all backgrounds.
  • D. NACA's director initiated a progressive diversity program to modernize the agency.
Question 2 of 6
How did workplace segregation specifically manifest for the black female mathematicians at Langley?
  • A. They were restricted to working only night shifts to avoid contact with white employees.
  • B. They were given outdated manual calculators while white employees used electronic computers.
  • C. They were grouped on the west side of the campus and had separate bathrooms and dining areas.
  • D. They were classified as independent contractors rather than official government employees.
Question 3 of 6
How did Miriam Mann actively resist the degrading segregated conditions at Langley?
  • A. She persistently removed the 'Colored Computers' sign from the dining hall until management gave up replacing it.
  • B. She organized a laboratory-wide strike until the facilities were integrated.
  • C. She refused to use the segregated buses and walked miles to work every day.
  • D. She successfully sued the state of Virginia to secure equal housing for black employees.
Question 4 of 6
What significant milestone did Dorothy Vaughan achieve at Langley in 1951?
  • A. She authored the first orbital flight report published by a female scientist.
  • B. She developed the first electronic computing software used by NASA.
  • C. She became the first woman to be promoted to the flight-research division.
  • D. She became Langley's first black manager by being promoted to supervisor of the West Computers.
Question 5 of 6
In addition to racial prejudice, the West Computers faced severe gender discrimination. How did Christine Darden overcome this to advance her career?
  • A. She published an anonymous manifesto exposing the gender pay gap at NASA.
  • B. She confronted her division chief about less educated men being promoted ahead of her.
  • C. She transferred to a private engineering firm that contracted its services back to NASA.
  • D. She filed a formal grievance with the Fair Employment Practices Committee.
Question 6 of 6
What crucial role did Katherine Johnson play in John Glenn's 1962 spaceflight?
  • A. She designed the heat shield that protected his capsule during atmospheric reentry.
  • B. She was the lead mission control director during his launch and orbit.
  • C. She personally verified the orbital trajectory calculations at Glenn's specific request.
  • D. She trained him on how to operate the electronic computers onboard the spacecraft.

Hidden Figures — Full Chapter Overview

Hidden Figures Summary & Overview

Hidden Figures (2016) reveals the untold story of the black female mathematicians who helped send John Glenn on his first orbit around the Earth and Neil Armstrong to the moon. These courageous, trailblazing women answered the call of duty by leaving their teaching jobs in segregated Southern schools behind and helping to shape the modern space program.

Who Should Listen to Hidden Figures?

  • Women in engineering
  • Those interested in the true history of the space program
  • Students of politics, science and history

About the Author: Margot Lee Shetterly

Margot Lee Shetterly grew up in Hampton, Virginia, where she came to know many of the women she writes about in Hidden Figures. She is a recipient of the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities research grant and a fellowship member of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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