A review by tmkuta
Hidden Figures, by Margot Lee Shetterly
5.0
So this book is AMAZING. 5/5 stars, would give more if I could. It's the book that inspired the movie and it talks about the work of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Christine Darden, and several other Black female computers, engineers, and scientists who worked for NACA/NASA. It covers their lives and how they came to live and work in Newport News/Hampton, VA. It discusses how the Civil Rights Movement impacted the Space Race and how NASA was criticized for it's lack of racial diversity at all levels. It also discusses the disparities Jim Crow created for the Black workers of NACA/NASA, and how Langley's location in Virginia impacted the lives of the Black scientists who worked there.
Also considering the backdrop of when I was reading this book (especially with recent SpaceX launching) I was pleased to also see discussion of how the Black community criticized the exorbitant spending of money on NASA projects when so much work had to be done on Earth and in America towards equality--discussions I had with folxs the day SpaceX launched Crew Dragon!
Highly recommend it if you're into space, history of space/civil rights, or just liked the movie. There is a whole lot more than what was in the movie, obviously, and I learned a ton. Also, as someone who has read a lot of history books of varying quality, this is VERY approachable book for non-historians and non-academics.
Hidden Figures was written by a Black woman, Margot Lee Shetterly, so buying it or getting it from your library is a great way to support Black women historians. :)
Also considering the backdrop of when I was reading this book (especially with recent SpaceX launching) I was pleased to also see discussion of how the Black community criticized the exorbitant spending of money on NASA projects when so much work had to be done on Earth and in America towards equality--discussions I had with folxs the day SpaceX launched Crew Dragon!
Highly recommend it if you're into space, history of space/civil rights, or just liked the movie. There is a whole lot more than what was in the movie, obviously, and I learned a ton. Also, as someone who has read a lot of history books of varying quality, this is VERY approachable book for non-historians and non-academics.
Hidden Figures was written by a Black woman, Margot Lee Shetterly, so buying it or getting it from your library is a great way to support Black women historians. :)