“Hidden Figures” tells the true story of three brilliant African American women who worked as mathematicians and “human computers” at NASA in the early 1960s. At a time when Jim Crow laws were still in effect and racial segregation was rampant across America, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson broke through gender and racial barriers. Their mathematical brilliance and contributions helped fuel some of NASA’s greatest successes, including sending astronauts into space and ultimately landing them on the moon.
The young reader adaptation of the book introduces readers to the three main characters and takes them on a journey through their experiences at the segregated West Computing section of the Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia. It shows how despite facing pervasive racism, sexism, and segregation laws every single day, the women’s intelligence, bravery and perseverance enabled them to make vital calculations that contributed to flight research at a critical time in the space race between the United States and Soviet Union.
Katherine Johnson is one of the central figures in the book. She has an exceptional gift for math and is determined to get a college education, even though it means facing racism and obstacles along the way. Even after graduating from West Virginia University with high honors, she still faces challenges in securing a professional job due to the color of her skin. Eventually she gets hired at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (later to become NASA) where her mathematical genius and impeccable calculations prove invaluable, especially for the space program’s Mercury missions.
Dorothy Vaughan is also highlighted as a role model in the young reader adaptation of “Hidden Figures.” Despite facing double discrimination as an African American woman in the Jim Crow South, she advances from serving as a teacher to pioneering new roles for Black women in computing. She rises through the ranks to eventually become the first Black supervisor at the computing section, overseeing a group of more than twenty women who did the complex mathematical calculations for NASA launch missions and research.
Mary Jackson also faces many obstacles in her journey to fulfill her potential. She has a passion for aeronautics and seeks to become an engineer but racial segregation prevents Black students from attending the local high school that offers calculus, a prerequisite for engineering degrees. Undaunted, she finds alternative ways to take the class and earns a diploma. She then becomes one of the first Black women scientists at NASA, despite continuing to face racial and gender barriers along the way.
Throughout the book, readers learn about the racial segregation and exclusion the three women experienced every day – from having to use separate restrooms labeled “colored” to sitting apart from white colleagues during lunch breaks. They faced these injustices with quiet resolve, focusing instead on accomplishing their important work for the space program. The book highlights how their brilliance lay in solving complex math problems on paper – not mainframe computer simulations as was assumed of “computers” at the time. No task was too difficult and no equation was left unsolved by the human computers.
The adapted young reader version brings to life through simple yet vivid language how the space race was revolutionizing America’s role in exploration and leadership in technology. Readers get a sense of the thrill and importance of missions like Mercury, which put the first Americans in space and helped lay the groundwork for landing on the moon. Perhaps most importantly, it emphasizes for young readers the perseverance, intellect, and dedication of three American pioneers – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson – whose work was an indispensable part of one of humanity’s greatest achievements even as they faced unjust barriers. Their story remains an inspiration.
With its blend of accessible language and fascinating true historical details, “Hidden Figures: The Young Reader’s Edition” provides children with a readable and engaging way to learn about our recent past. It sheds light on the vital contributions of women of color who helped lead America’s space program in its early years, often facing disadvantages yet exceeding expectations with their brilliance, determination and quiet bravery. By introducing young readers to role models like Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, the book aims to impart important lessons about never giving up your dreams in the face of discrimination and about honoring the full diversity of those who have made our country’s scientific and technological progress possible.”