Hidden Figures

In 1961, Katherine Goble Johnson begins her work at Langley Research Center in Hampton, Virginia, amidst a landscape deeply divided by race and gender. As one of the few African-American women in her field, she navigates the challenges and barriers that come with her position while demonstrating exceptional talent in mathematics.

Katherine's mathematical skills catch the attention of Al Harrison, leading to her placement in the Space Task Group. As the first Black woman on the team, she contends with skepticism and hostility from some colleagues, particularly engineer Paul Stafford, who underestimates her contributions.

Mary Jackson is assigned to the space capsule heat shield team, where she quickly identifies a critical design flaw. Encouraged by her team leader, Karl Zielinski, she pursues an engineering position at NASA despite facing significant obstacles and bias regarding her educational background.

Demonstrating unyielding determination, Mary Jackson petitions to attend all-white night classes at Hampton High School to further her education. She appeals to a local judge's sense of justice and history, ultimately gaining permission despite resistance from her husband.

Katherine impressively solves a complex equation taken from redacted documents, showcasing her exceptional analytical skills. This moment solidifies her importance to the team as the impending space race against the Soviet Union intensifies.

A significant turning point occurs when Al Harrison confronts Katherine about her frequent 'breaks.' She reveals the injustices she faces, including having to walk half a mile to the restroom designated for people of color, prompting Harrison to eliminate the segregated restroom signs.

Following Harrison's support, Katherine is included in high-stakes meetings, enhancing her visibility and role within the Space Task Group. She proves her value as the team works on critical calculations for the upcoming space missions, notably during John Glenn's launch preparations.

Despite her monumental contributions, Katherine faces resentment from Paul Stafford, who attempts to obscure her role by claiming that 'computers' cannot draft reports. Katherine remains determined to showcase her capabilities and the importance of her work.

Recognizing the impact of the IBM 7090 electronic computer, Dorothy Vaughan delves into programming to secure a future for herself and her fellow human computers. She covertly learns Fortran and prepares her coworkers for the technological transitions at NASA.

As launch day approaches for John Glenn's Friendship 7 mission, Katherine is moved to support this critical mission. Her analytical prowess helps address discrepancies in calculations, ultimately ensuring the mission's success as she enters the control room to contribute vital data.

As technology replaces human computers, the legacies of Dorothy, Katherine, and Mary continue to thrive. They each break barriers in their respective fields, with Mary becoming NASA's first African American female engineer and Dorothy the first African American supervisor.

Katherine Johnson's significant contributions culminate in her co-authoring reports and computing crucial trajectories for historic missions like Apollo 11. Her work in mathematics and space exploration is recognized when she receives the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2015.

In 2016, NASA honors Katherine's remarkable legacy by naming the Katherine Johnson Computational Building at Langley Research Center in her honor. This tribute highlights not only her brilliance in mathematics but also her profound impact on the field of aerospace engineering.