Day 19: Hidden Figures Hidden Heroes!

    Black History Month would not be complete without a book  about the unsung heroes.  the ones hat public never hears about until someone  dares to to their story.  Today's focus is on Margot Lee Shetterly's book,  Hidden Figures: The Untold Story of the African American Women Who Helped Win the Space Race.   Most people are familiar with this story because of the movie.  The book is way better than the movie but in this case it is recommended to see both.  Why?  Both are powerful.  Both are inspiring. 

    Shetterly follows the lives of three computers who worked for NASA during the space age.    Computers is not a typo but an actual job title for NASA when humans did the calculations and mathematics that the computers do today.  These brilliant mathematicians had to face many obstacles.  The gender barrier. was one such obstacle    Who knew women could be smarter than men at math? Science?  Building Rockets?    These women were definitely in a league of their own.  The race barrier was a powerful obstacle as well.   The book and the movie both vividly describe how NASA segregated their workers based on race.  Yet, these strong women overcame the odds and helped the United States win the Race to space in the 1960s.  Their names are not memorized by every school child yet. They should be remembered from this point on.   Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson are wonderful role models for women of all ages.  

    The story of these women took place mostly in the 1960's, at the height of civil rights protests, segregation and John F. Kennedy Administration.   One of  the most memorable scenes in the book and movie is Dorothy Vaughan's trip to the public library with her children.   She is looking for a particular book when she is approached by a librarian who questions why Vaughan, a colored woman, in the "white" section of the library.  The response is simple, she is looking for a book that is not available in the "colored" section.  She and her children  are promptly escorted out of the library.  At first glance this is stunning to even imagine that libraries, a place of learning and opportunity for all, would be segregated.  At the same time,  it is also a moment to reflect that as a society we have come a long way in fighting racism.  Thank goodness for that! 

    Due to the commercial  success of the book and film,  Ms.  Shetterly,  has cowritten a version of Hidden Figures for  younger readers to enjoy.   This is an amazing true story that is easy to read, regardless of  the readers age or grade level.   Pick up the book and be inspired.  Math is not "hip",  these three ladies made it cooler ten times cooler to be Square.   Thank you Ms. Shetterly  for  uncovering these Hidden Figures.