D Iscussion Guide

Discussion Guide The Numbers Don’t Lie The story of the black women who became “human computers,” in the total population and its representation in computing mathematicians, and engineers for NASA is the true story jobs? How many possible explanations can you think of? Are behind the film Hidden Figures. More than 50 years ago, they these numbers the result of personal choices, discrimination confronted employers who hired them only reluctantly. They in hiring, diverse educational experiences, or something else? worked in a southern state that was determined to oppose How much change has there really been in the past 50 years? federal civil rights laws and to hold on to segregation, and in As you think about careers today, think about the education an age when women were generally encouraged to become you are engaged in right now. As a student, have you been housewives, nurses, teachers, or secretaries. encouraged to pursue courses in science, technology, How they persisted, how they achieved their goals in spite mathematics, and engineering? How many such courses are of the many obstacles in their paths, how they convinced offered at your school? Are there after-school activities you others who doubted them of their value as employees and can join that will increase your ability to use computers and even leaders—these are the lessons of Hidden Figures that solve problems? Do you have some role models or mentors are important for all students to learn today. Together, who can help you learn about these subjects? these women were able to accomplish more than they ever And what about the future? What will job prospects be like could have as individuals; they strengthened each other’s for you as you graduate? Will you find a career that not only determination, encouraged each other in dark times, and supports you financially, but that you can feel passionate worked to assure the success of their whole team. about? One in which you can take pride? Now is the time to But that was half a century ago—ancient history. Aren’t start planning that future. As you consider your own goals, things different today? think about your own strengths and the determination you have to overcome any obstacles you might face, and then Let’s start to answer this question by looking at the statistics for plan a path that will really help you achieve, just as Katherine, 2012 from the United States Department of Labor (below): Dorothy, and Mary did. Why is there such a difference between each group’s size Women hold 57% of professional jobs in the U.S., but just 26% of technology jobs and 19% of software development positions. Women hold just 5% of leadership positions in technology. Black and Hispanic people make up 30% of the U.S. population (12% black and 18% Hispanic). Black and Hispanic men hold 9% of U.S. computing jobs. (Black men hold 4% of these jobs and Hispanic men hold 5%.) Black and Hispanic women hold 4% of U.S. computing jobs. (Black women hold 3% and Hispanic women hold 1%.) 2 Journeys in Film : Hidden Figures Introduction to Hidden Figures As NASA begins preparations for the first landing of humans on Mars in the 2030s, the excitement and challenge of the early years of manned space exploration will once again capture the world’s imagination. What better time to re-examine the early years of the space race and, in particular, the efforts of the people whose work behind the scenes made those first epic voyages possible? In Hampton, Virginia, in 1961, segregation still ruled, in spite of court orders and civil rights protesters. Workplaces, and especially workplaces in the sciences, were dominated by men. But at Langley Research Center, a remarkable group of women, the so-called “human computers,” were solving equations, calculating orbits, and laying the groundwork for the first successful flights by the team of astronauts known as the Mercury 7. Katherine Johnson (played in the film by Taraji P. Henson), Mary Jackson (played by Janelle Monáe) and Dorothy Mary Jackson also began in the computer pool, and became Vaughan (played by Octavia Spencer) were among those NASA’s first black female engineer in 1958, after persuading a women. As a girl growing up in West Virginia, Johnson had judge to allow her to take training courses at an all-white high been passionate about mathematics; pulled from the computer school. She worked for many years writing and co-writing pool at Langley, she became part of the team that calculated engineering studies; she then began a second career at NASA, the trajectories for Alan Shepard and John Glenn. Eventually becoming Langley’s Federal Women’s Program Manager in she worked on the team that accomplished the moon landing order to boost the careers of other women in science, math, in 1969. In 2015 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of and engineering. Freedom for her 33 years of work at NASA. Their stories are told in the film Hidden Figures, based on Dorothy Vaughn, a graduate of Wilberforce University, the book of the same title by Margot Lee Shetterly. This spent 28 years at NASA. First hired as a “human computer” discussion guide covers the film itself, background context to to make up for the shortage of manpower during World help you understand the society in which these women made War II, she used her mathematics skills to improve the speed such strides, and a look to the future of women in STEM and power of U.S. military aircraft. When computers were (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. introduced, she learned FORTRAN and became a pioneer This film helps to ensure that these brilliant and hardworking in computer programming. women will no longer be “hidden figures.” Journeys in Film: Hidden Figures 3 Exploring the Film: Hidden Figures 1. At the beginning of the film, Katherine appears in a Paul Stafford (played by Jim Parsons)? By Karl Zielinski flashback at school; she is several years younger than her (played by Olek Krupa), the self-identified “Polish Jew”? classmates and is asked to demonstrate the answer to a 3. A major change at NASA occurs when the space agency math question at the chalkboard. purchases an IBM computer. • What does this scene say about her early ability and • How does this computer compare with a typical character? computer today? • How did her parents and teachers support her • What difficulties do the engineers have installing the continuing education? computer and making it operational? Why do the • Why did her family have to move for her to go to high difficulties arise? school? • How does Dorothy learn enough to be able to operate • When does this image of a chalkboard reappear in the the computer? film? Why does the filmmaker choose to repeat it? • Compare Dorothy’s attitude toward her subordinates 2. When Katherine first appears in her new workroom after with that of Mrs. Vivian Mitchell (played by Kirsten leaving West Computing, she is mistaken for the custodian. Dunst). How does Dorothy help her colleagues What information does this brief but significant incident succeed after the IBM computer is installed? convey? How is she treated by her male co-workers? By 4 Journeys in Film : Hidden Figures • Do Dorothy’s attitude and actions have any implications 6. The way that people address one another says a great for today’s workforce in an era of ever-increasing deal about relative position. In most areas of the South technological sophistication? during the period before the Civil War, slaves had no last names. Even after 1865, when freedmen chose last names 4. The Mercury 7 astronauts came to Langley for training. for themselves, whites generally called them only by first • What kind of reception did they receive? Describe names. Richard Wright, in his memoir, Black Boy, wrote John Glenn’s first interaction with the women of West of how important it was to black adults to be called by Computing. What is the filmmaker trying to show in “Mr.” or “Mrs.” and the last name. this scene? • How do Stafford, Mitchell, and Harrison regularly • Why does Glenn want Katherine to check the address the women of West Computing in the film? mathematics behind his planned launch? What does this say about the working relationship of 5. Symbols are often used to make significant points in a film. these supervisors and these workers? How do the following repeated symbols help to tell the • What is the significance of Mrs. Mitchell addressing story? Dorothy as “Mrs. Vaughan” at the end of the film? • Coffee: 7. Katherine is regularly excluded from key meetings because ° The placement of an extra coffee pot in Katherine’s there is no protocol for a woman to attend. work area • Why is it important for her to attend? ° Katherine’s reaction to the coffee pot • How does she prove to the men in the room that it is ° Stafford’s offering her a cup of coffee at the end of to their advantage for her to be present? the film • Why does Harrison invite her into the room where • The restroom men are tracking John Glenn’s flight and making ° The existence of a “colored” restroom in another decisions about what should be done to bring him building a half mile away back safely? ° Katherine’s need to run the distance 8. In the climactic scene when John Glenn is about to ° removal of the sign by Al Harrison re-enter Earth’s atmosphere, how does the filmmaker (played by Kevin Costner) create suspense? • The pearls ° The dress code for women at NASA 9.

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