Hidden Figures

Jacob Grigg 17′

Staff Writer

Exam time is write around the corner and students are given the opportunity for some extra credit. The newly released film Hidden Figures is portrays the race to space and the impact African American women had on it. Students must go see the movie and write a 2-3 paragraph response. Tuesday, January 17th a discussion session will take place, led by Mrs. Yats and Mrs. Chaltraw. (extra credit is only given if you attend the discussion) Free pizza will also be provided during the discussion. Make sure to go out and see it Nouvel!!

Discussion Questions

1. Compare Katherine Johnson’s life experience at NASA to that of their male counterparts. How were their experiences similar? How were they different? What do you think it would have been like for Johnson as an African American women to work in a predominately white and male environment as engineers?

2. When electronics were first introduced to NASA, what were they like (appearance, size, etc.) and how did people use them? When Katherine Johnson worked there, how was the computer pool organized? How did the computers receive assignments? How did this change over time?

3. What major historical events led to the first African American women being able to work at NASA? What are some of the larger changes that were happening in African American history between when Katherine Johnson started as a computer at NASA in the 1940s? How would these changes have affected their experiences at NASA?