Before Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of professionals worked as ‘Human Computers’, calculating the flight paths that would enable these historic achievements. Among these were a coterie of bright, talented African-American women. Segregated from their white counterparts, these ‘coloured computers’ used pencil and paper to write the equations that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.
Moving from World War II through NASA’s golden age, touching on the civil rights era, the Space Race, the Cold War, and the women’s rights movement, ‘Hidden Figures’ interweaves a rich history of mankind’s greatest adventure with the intimate stories of five courageous women whose work forever changed the world.
History in the real
Prior to reading this book I had no idea of the difference these women made to what some now would say is the way forward. Interesting that these pioneering women were considered such low class and not worthy until this major change. I do recommend this book as this story needs to be told entirely not just in the movie.
Tianne, 10/03/2017
