Hidden Figures

Nonfiction | Biography | Adult | Published in 2016

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Introduction

Teacher Introduction

Hidden Figures

Genre: Nonfiction; historical biography
Originally Published: 2016
Reading Level/Interest: Lexile 1350L; grades 7-12; college/adult
Structure/Length: 23 chapters, prologue, and epilogue; approximately 368 pages; approximately 10 hours, 47 minutes on audio
Central Concern: Hidden Figures uncovers the remarkable story of a group of Black female mathematicians at NASA who played a crucial role in the success of the US space program. Against the backdrop of the civil rights movement and the space race against the Soviet Union, these women broke racial and gender barriers to contribute to major achievements in space exploration, including John Glenn’s orbital mission. Margot Lee Shetterly highlights the perseverance, intelligence, and talent of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and others who overcame societal challenges to excel in a field dominated by white men.
Potential Sensitivity Issues: Discussions of racial segregation, gender discrimination, and the challenges faced by Black American women in the mid-20th century

Margot Lee Shetterly, Author

Bio: Born 1969; American nonfiction writer who grew up in Hampton, Virginia, where her father worked at NASA; worked on the Human Computer Project, an initiative to recover the names and accomplishments of all women who worked as mathematicians and engineers at NACA and NASA

CENTRAL THEMES connected and noted throughout this Teaching Guide: