This movie is about calculators for NASA at a time when computers don’t

exist yet. They do and check all the calculations. Nevertheless, they are
black women and it is the time of segregation so they are in a very small
room in NASA premises basement. Nobody sees them.
 Katherine g. Johnson is a mathematics expert temporarily assigned to the all-
white space flight research team. Several mathematicians already failed to
support the team.

White people have racist a priori and even did not want to use the same coffee machine, so they gave
her a coffee machine for colored people.

They were not trusting her, so

they hide all sensible
information because it was
cold-war. This was penalizing
her in doing her job.
 When she wants to go to the restrooms,
she must go to the other end of NASA
premises. Her superior is angry with her
because she’s away for too long time.

She explained her problem and her superior

realized the situation. He was really open-
minded and only focused on objectives and
results. Consequently, he broke the
restrooms segregation sign because they
could not waste time with this kind of things.
“At NASA we pee the same color” he said.
At that time, it was cold-war and the Russians had
already sent a man in space. Americans were
unable to precisely calculate the decisional point
for space flight (starting point for a safe descent on
earth). Katherine invented new mathematics and
found the solution! Only that ! 😀
Before his flight, John Glenn called the control
center and requested Katherine to check the
calculation made by a new implemented computer,
because they had some doubts on results. He said
he will not enter the capsule until this is done.
So, she checked the
calculation and brought
results to the control center
where many of her
colleagues were, but she
was not allowed to enter…
… Her superior finally allowed her to enter ,
despite security rules, because he was
recognizing her skills. The mission has been
successful, he thanked her as well as all her
colleagues.
 She continued to work with them for
Gemini's missions. In 2016 NASA honored
her work by giving her name to a research
building: the Katherine G. Johnson
Computational Research Facility.

Later, she received the presidential medal of

freedom.
Mary Jackson was also working at NASA with an
engineer. He was also open-minded and aware
of her skills, he told her “you must become an
engineer, you have the capacity”. At that time,
engineering schools were reserved for white
men.

So, she went to the judge for asking the authorization

to study at the University of Virginia. The judge gave
her this authorization but only in evening classes.
Peoples were surprised but she did not let
herself be intimidated.
 And she completed her studies.

She became the first woman to become

an aeronautics engineer. In 1997, she
was promoted to Langley’s Women’s
Program Manager, promoting male-
female equity. She has done something
incredible and crucial for all women.
Dorothy Vaughan was working at NASA as African-
American female calculators’ supervisor, without being
recognized and paid as a manager.

NASA bought a “real” computer, IBM. But

nobody was able to make it work.
 She decided to learn by herself
Dorothy realized this computer FORTRAN language and was
was theoretically able to even forced to steal a book at the
calculate much faster than library because the required book
humans and would make was not available for black
calculators lose their job and people.
above all, would impeach them She modified the computer
to contribute to NASA adventure. configuration and succeeded in
. making it work properly.
So, she learnt the FORTRAN language to all
her calculators team struggled to transfer it
to the computing department, with success.
To manage the IBM computing lab, you must
be a supervisor. Given her accomplishment,
she became the first colored woman to be
named supervisor.
She became the first African-American Supervisor at NASA
and she is still considered as one of the most brilliant minds
having ever worked at NASA.
In real life, these women
did not really work in the
same department as
shown in the movie.
However, they all
contributed to the
advancement of science
progress as well as the
condition of colored people
and women. This film is
one way to bring to light
what was left in the
shadows at the time.