Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Who Helped Win the Space Race

As the world was engulfed in the turmoil of the Second World War, a quiet revolution was taking place on the home front. The demand for airplanes surged dramatically, with production numbers soaring from mere dozens monthly to tens of thousands annually. This unprecedented need for skilled labor could not be met by the traditional workforce alone. Men were leaving factories and laboratories to fight overseas, creating a void that women were called upon to fill. Among these women were African American mathematicians who would become indispensable to the nation’s aeronautical efforts.

Labor shortages, a direct consequence of the war, dismantled long-standing barriers, allowing women to enter fields like mathematics and engineering where they had previously been excluded. The Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, a hub of aeronautical innovation, was expanding rapidly. Personnel officers scrambled to recruit mathematicians and assistants to process the vast amounts of data generated by wind tunnel tests and flight experiments. Women, often referred to as 'computers,' became the backbone of this effort, performing complex calculations that would inform the design and testing of military aircraft.

Yet, the path was not straightforward. Segregation laws in the South meant that African American women were assigned to separate offices and facilities, known as the West Area Computing pool. Despite these challenges, they brought precision and dedication to their work, proving their value beyond doubt.

The federal government’s role was pivotal. President Roosevelt’s Executive Order 8802 banned racial discrimination in defense industries and established the Fair Employment Practices Committee to enforce it. This policy was a breakthrough, signaling a federal commitment to fairness, at least in theory, and opening the door for black women to contribute to the war effort in unprecedented ways.

Imagine the scene at the Langley laboratory: a shuttle bus ferrying in a new wave of recruits, women clutching job applications, and a segregated office buzzing with calculating machines, where the click-clack of keys was the soundtrack of progress. These women, many with backgrounds as teachers or from black colleges, were stepping into roles that would change their lives and the future of American science.

From the laundry rooms of military camps to the classrooms of segregated schools, these women seized the opportunity presented by the war. Their journey was one of resilience and quiet determination, set against the backdrop of a nation grappling with its ideals and realities.

As we move forward, we will delve deeper into the personal stories of these remarkable women, their struggles, triumphs, and the technical marvels they helped bring to life.

Next, we explore the individual journeys of these mathematicians, their education, and the personal sacrifices they made to step into the spotlight of history.