From. Tonight youll hear the author of Hidden Figures. The American Dream in the untold story of those who helped to win the space race share the journey that combines laugh rich intersection of the civilrights era and the space race the cold war and the movement for gender equality. I am curious what the date september 81967 and 1983 defcon seven lunch. Said to rate 2000 when 06 launched and todays a template, 2016 publicly on schists her book hit in figures to the literary world. [applause] i know many of you know, margaux many said they run the tennis team with her and could not wait to see her again she was raised here credited from university of frigid new with a degree in finance the journalists and independent researcher. Creator of an englishlanguage monthly magazine the daughter of one of the first nasa blackmail engineer so she grew up with the abandon of Hidden Figures. She is a Slum Foundation fellow and recipient of the and Virginia Foundation for humanities grant and lives in charlottesville virginia. For, jr. Will phone said an anonymous in history was usually a woman. I will say that again. Anonymous in history was usually a woman. Foot tonight these brilliant women are anonymous no more thanks to the book hit in figures. And those who contributed to the space race and finally they receive their dues. Its just a few housekeeping notes that heard talk is here but the one book signing is in the museum in the great hall afterwards across the street because cspan is filming so no flasher jogger fee. Please remember to silence your phones. Is with great pleasure and honor i introduce margot Lee Shetterly. [applause] thank you so much for that amazing introduction also to the Hampton History Museum which has been incredibly supportive of this Research Since the very beginning i cannot think of any place better to publicly e launch a this endeavor than here in my home town with my own people thanks for coming out tonight. Pdf if it is a wonderful thing that this speech that i am giving in this vinnie venue is here in a church because it started six years ago also and the church here in downtown hampton at the First Baptist church where i grew up and i was sitting in a pew with my parents who are here and my a husband interviewing a former sunday School Teacher of mine about her career as a mathematician at the research center. Anonymous had an idea at the time that that first interview would turn into all of this the book, my first book and a movie that is as exciting to keep that level of enthusiasm the most gratifying thing for me has been learning about my home town there is so much that i did not know. And i didnt know about the people who lived here and i knew were growing up here. So this is a way to tell my story to trace my path for this is my history. This is your history. The mundane parts the fact that we are in and the church that sponsors the event to the archaeological remains. Of those for africanamerican women Christine Darden comment Dorothy Vaughan, Catherine Johnson and mary jackson. [applause] i am so pleased also to let you know that many of the family members of mary jackson and Dorothy Vaughan and mrs. Johnson are here as well. In any been that worked with them with the Langley Research center. If you see them in the crowd tonight home i am so thrilled that these women who actually lived in the history so i could write to our here. We knew the minute we were raised by them and worship with them and were taught by them or work with them my insurer me that there is the tremendous amount. And having a list of unfilled with another book of life down when researching their lives but one of the most timely and to emphasize is the following. Maher never allow fear to get the best of curiosity. Had high it takes a powerful imagination to land humans on the moon to bring them back safely and then to have their roots right here in Hampton Virginia and then to do uh rose calculations for this to come to fruition the tappan better known Catherine Johnson for the work she has done on the mercury in the Apollo Mission with said john glenn solo flight 1962. People from around the United States and around the world worked alongside people of all backgrounds and cheap things even today 47 years later we have to stop and marvel. It is incredible what is possible when you take the best minds among us to allow your imagination to run free. As told to the eyes of these four African Americans of how that transforms our city in society of the hope band the conflict of the Civilrights Movement in the Great Strides all been in have made legally, socially and economically over the course of the 20th century. Scores of women end quote. Worked at langley and around the country. And there are so many of them. But they were part of a larger cohort of white women , and these women were valedictorians, nat than science competition in until they came to langley they received a fraction of the credit that they deserve. Pdf that was frozen in of backgrounds. Into recover the names of although women of the engineers. One sojourn i have like to encourage you to get in touch with the ladies that you knew from church or your neighbors and please let me know so i could know their names so they are not in the shadow. All good stories have a beginning in the middle and an end. I am the result of this wonderful history when the proud and a graduated from the university of virginia from all backgrounds. [laughter] and what the first meeting led me to ask the question how did it all begin . How did she and many of those that i remember from my childhood and end up working at nassau . And to Gain Momentum not the time young preacher from the land of name to Martin Luther king, jr. Was taking center sage in starting the Civilrights Movement. The start from of the Space Program for its Aeronautical Research. But a civilrights leader to abandon socialservice against africanamericans with jews or catholics are many of the people that were left out of the jobs coming about as a result of world war two. Almost two years after the executive order to desegregate the Civil Service at the Aeronautical Laboratory so i would like to do is read from the first chapter in my book Hidden Figures this is how the story begins. And all have did happened here in Hampton Virginia. Pdf chapter one. One the Personnel Officer at the langley Aeronautical Laboratory with uh chief Field Operation this establishment has urgent need 100, jr. Physicist mathematicians 75 will apprentices, 125 traders bet every morning 7 00 a. M. To dispatch of station by did to the bus station and the terminal to collect the men and women. Now so many women each day. More women who made their way in did they made their way to the service store. Upstairs other staff would wisc them through four other photos in the oath of office. To suspend the constitution and the United States and the mes for nine domestic so help me god. The newly minted Civil Servants with the Research Facilities no sooner for procurement is the final break of the building in dade stood in the makeshift office. They put to desks head to head the head three workers in the space designed for two. With the european war and the conflict with 500 odd employees on its way at 1500 but they swallow them whole and remain hungry for more. Looking out on the crescent shaped airfield for those headed to the of. National Advisory Committee for aeronautics. With the u. S. Army air corps. Airbase devoted to the military airpower capability to be charged with the Scientific Understanding since beginning in allowed the airfield the close relationship served as a constant reminder to the engineers pet every experiment had realworld the implications. But 210 ft long and filled building for to deceive the enemy eyes the cavernous interior from the elements. Stopping to hover at this one or that one. To check them and fill them with gas to become one with them if the airplane engines of takeoff light and landing as a baby cry to the mother. To turn the on demand hurricane allen to the plane. President roosevelt challenged the nation but it seems like Impossible Task because it only provided the Army Air Corps for now americas aircraft industry was a miracle to become the largest industry in the world the most sophisticated of computing the durbans three times in the japanese by five. The final conquest of one and to transport troops and supplies with the exhaustive preflight check out they would rule of their sleeves to sharpen their eyes a faulty fuel tank annie could cost lives but even before it responded to the varied dna to the shape of the wings that were manipulated the constructed and recombined by the engineers next door. Long before americas aircraft with a working prototype that was designed to be tested every highperformance aircraft model was the they would park the planes with the few pdf one every aspect of the air one sometimes a the engineer riding shotgun. Did that stol like the shopping cart with the bad real clerics and and and is subjected the, airplane to calculate the numbers and even small improvements multiplied over miles added up to a difference to tip the balance in our favor. Victory through air power engineer in charge at the reminder of the importance and victory through air power reminding each desk appoint and then victory would be there. Of los of course, he failed to see those three shifts a day with fresh mind engineers are one thing but each in support of a number of others. And the number crunchers from what issue from the eye research so with those mathematicians in the middle of the last decade so the first female computing pool met with the man from the laboratory how could a female mind be so precise in math . [laughter] the very idea investing five and dollars by a girl . Better at computing wittily a handful of girls to put them on equal footing the fact that most computers were designated to provide a boost in the laboratory bottom line. 1943 they were hard to come by. To go up and down the east coast for those of mechanical skills in the even mathematician. And hunted in the virginia schools into leaving on the Civil Service of the Manpower Commission whiff of limited pool of qualified applicants and to have that household duty those were not afraid to roll up their sleeves chicago of laboratory. So published in the employee newsletter those who like to play a part . And those to shorten the war. For those who are already in demand to be as exhausted a bright spot presented itself in the form of another mans problem the head the union in the summer of 41 with the Nations Capital in protest but then he believed. And a Phillip Randolph they waited on passengers with fact but in 1941 with every aspect of society for the second time in less than 30 years randolph with the specter of the march that never happened pried open the doors that were closed since the end of reconstruction. With executive order one 4 6 centime monitor the National Project results primed the pump to come into the tight production process. And to reach the Civil Service. And then to filter the service building. Whiff of personal staff. That requirement instituted under did ministrations tried to dismantle discrimination. And then to tip their hand. And then across town the applications did it indicate anything less. After having had many years teaching experience on top of their math and science degrees. But the warehouse building on the wests side is still more wilderness could be just the thing. And from the Personnel Department with the airplanes ready to go in their relatively agnostic issue and but then just across the bay to require no imagination and how they would think and of those into the offices. Calling those newcomers to the state. There is always negro employees in the lab like the ginger or the cafeteria workers are groundkeepers but those two would be professional peers was something new. No big announcement in the daily press also proceeded with direction but nothing to derailed the arrival. Maybe it was functionary carrying out the state law that kept them from truly progressive action. Perhaps with the black women opening the door to integration. Whenever the personal feelings on race and through and through loyal to the laboratory but by nature in by mandate they were all about practical solutions. A. Philip randolph with the unrelenting pressure laid the foundation for what in the 60s is come to an analysis Civilrights Movement there is no way that randolph for the lows in the laboratory or anyone else could have predicted hiring of black female mathematician at the laboratory. Still shrouded from view that would crush the notion and it was a possibility the electronic calculating devices with science and technology no one anticipated that the wartime women would refuse to assist in their demand for full access in not be moved. And with the great transformation to cushion built to its United States would consider one of the greatest victories. Spend existing in the urgent president here and now to take the next up to have another item it back to resign that says colored girls. [applause] its thrust sincere. I will tell you how would ens but they do get to the moon. [laughter] so i thought it might be interesting to open the floor to any questions at this time. Please raise your hand. Senate did depended on your grade if you were hired at a level for you were paid with the other level for did the the issue was getting hired into that level and then the very beginning but Dorothy Vaughan was hired at the level of the equivalent of many male engineers there were exceptions but in general most of the women in black girl wider other wives were paid less than men. Margot Lee Shetterly name so fascinated by your research lab will buy two books. I have a question and you could use that . Findings so fascinating things about them did that those sophisticated inventions plan iso proud of view. Thank you there is the book last year that tells us story of the africanamerican engineers were this rise of the of rocket girls that work that uh jet Propulsion Laboratory out in pasadena california were so it is exciting those who work in aeronautics one are starting to come to light right now to tell the story. And i am very proud been what was the one thing levied anecdote that you came across in the stories . Deere were so many. For example, there was one engineer who worked here will and then to go to the Ames Laboratory was connected with the rosenberg spy case. And engineer who worked tyr at langley was convicted of perjury but the government charged him of passing secrets to the russians. So the research on that was fascinating i knock on peoples doors, i was investigating the whole situation. So that was another surprising from Hampton Virginia with, the great global struggle between the United States and the russians. What is the riskiest thing you have done to parallel that when would you be an astronaut if you didnt have to do the homework . And you could just go with based on what was done before us . What i want to go into space . [laughter] i kind id like the earth laugh laugh but i mess say that i really do think that the work that nasa doesnt discontinuing is important it is interesting and exciting to take out the mantle for to go to mars is exciting. Knows that was pioneered with the supersonic transport plane. I may not be the first passenger but the fact that the work is continuing is very exciting. How did the book go to the movie . That is a very interesting question. From the very beginning who the great deal of the enthusiasm with the strength of the women sit with scores of black women so this adn disproves anything of women not being able to do math. [laughter] when it is natural that people respond to it. So what happened my alliterate agent after finding a publisher got a proposal and was blown away by the fact she had not heard of the story. Kent says shes been running to catch up to be on the parallel track and what is so exciting for me is i am so happy that there is so much enthusiasm for the book but i know there is an even greater audience of the history because of the movie. It is a ride for sure. After world war ii many were let go for those returning servicemen so what extent did that happen was there a differential between whites or africanamericans . Did they have successful careers to rise up through the ranks . [inaudible] guess. It is interesting i have access from 1942 through the president in the newsletters were constantly reporting in terms of the reduction but the best i can tell right after the war there was the cutback slated at langley. But at the end of the day of only 30 employees that there were enough left their jobs they only had to cut 30 but over the next 12 once started to recruit again and looking for more women to do the computing. With the command of the army to be consolidated at langley in the entire region like after world war i goes through tremendous depression. And those that our concerned about that but what happened and that turns in one of the centers of the military industrial complex. And langley went along with that. It did not seem for the research that i did that there was uh differential between the white women and of black women but word seemed to get around with black churches in through the of black high schools that there was an amazing job that there was a job opening for black women at langley. Congratulations and know your mom and dad are proud. Have you gotten a chance to view those whole movie . If you have is an addiction or is it accurate . If they see them on the screen so any july looking for. That is the question everybody wants to know. I have not seen the whole movie. The are working on in record time in their excited to major it is in the theaters definitely a by a january possibly by december. But working on the book and that the movie at the same time i had to let the affect that was right to a Nonfiction Book over 30 years of history versus a movie that has to get people into the theaters tell the story and catch it hit the highlights and come back home safely in two hours. [laughter] and i talked pretty closely with the producers of the of movie and in the beginning had hard time to understand you cannot fill the book and sell movie tickets. Is inspired by true defense. Behalf to take a segment and making it exciting and what they decided to do was focus on the time from sputnik when they first launched the satellite and sending them into the cold war space race until that moment where Catherine Johnson did the calculations for the john glenn flight so that moment has been recounted many, many times by many people including mrs. Johnson herself so they made the decision which i think was the right decision to take one of the of real highlights in do that instead of the entire book. First of all, i want to congratulate you to bring some many people together from your research. I am happy to be here because it brings so many people together in a way that they had no idea they were connected because the bond of Dorothy Vaughan used to serve dinner in provide food for those students at the Hampton Institute so flu would have known back then what she was all about . Of course, we knew she was the smart lady raising these children but ibm those other natalie connected to the people in your story but those who are connected to you and to me. But i guarantee there are folks who did not know they had a connection with each other had not been for your book can research so if we just realized through conversation and the passion to know the history that we are all connected so much to provide another soleil for us to realize that this of part of your story if we have steady to raise their hand who is connected because of your book everybody would raise their hand. They are connected. [applause] thanks for bringing us together for coming from all across the country will there be a premier here for the movie . [applause] matt is the question laugh laugh i think nasa has been some support a robust project not just the Langley Research center from the very beginning today cannot think them enough for what they have done but people at nasa headquarters have been very supportive they are very interested to do with they can to make sure this community the visit core of this story has the chance to participate in the excitement of that movie to see that our friends and neighbors and relatives on the screen. I doubt knows uh details but i do know that they are very interested that the community is participating. I am curious it happened at First Baptist church with the idea that came into your head of personnel schoolteacher . What specific lead that data lightbulb went off when . Other then you worship together going up that you knew for. What happened that particular sunday . It is something i read about in the prologue of my book my has been the nine were here visiting my parents. We went to church that sunday and that with the former sundaes School Teacher and my father was talking about her and the conversation turned to those whiff of work that they did. So you are from here and you dont think about it so can you please tell me this story again and . How come i have never heard of this story . We have the experience to grow up someplace but that talent that is there and what happened with something happening it was smoking at that and teetwo appreciate the community i have grown up in. And that is what happened and was the simple as that. [applause] who also with the new African American museum. Will i be speaking at the africanamerican museum . Were still working through uh details and i am hoping that will be among them. I know that your background in journalism while bush your experience diving into history and . This is a question. [laughter] assuming you have up background in business in college what was my experience . I really love did. I think a lot of people that it is separate from science and it is impossible to have the same interest. But somebody with business and finance an entrepreneur yours cow the process to uncover the story was wonderful i love to attack the Old Newspaper articles with a lot of the skills working in n that analysis certainly helped me a lot in the process the loved every minute of it. I dont think this is old the kid us that story of john glenn. Please . [laughter] with. It was actually aimed request to recount the most wellknown anecdote that happened with this particular history and never the last 50 years of Catherine Johnson and her role of the of mission which the john glenn flight that tipped the balance between the United States and the soviet union. And from that research as the peace of hardware of that calculating machine and then thats was a woman. So when dade when it was used for Government Applications to understand how viable they are. So most of that Aeronautical Research it was done by women. And then to work and all of these nasa installations and working on the Space Program calculating that trajectory how we will take this man to blast him around the earth in a can. Also working in the Flight Research division that has changed its name over the years but the people in that particular division were very closely linked to the early Space Program. And her group was responsible for calculating those trajectories but that transformed it could come back down like that and then with the computer technology. And then with at tracking network of jobs since the early days to set up the tracking station around the earth to track of may and and the spaceship. So the computers rorer brought in with a task but this was a real moment in which the old School Computing done by a roomful of women sitting added desk with a calculating machines as opposed to a roomful of computers and then to have that Computing Power necessary to track the satellite of the years. And and looking in this division and then to know it was day mission to get Catherine Johnson to layout that original map with the trajectory to or better around the earth. She was the same numbers of the data with that dissimulation and comparing that to what the computer came up with. And then showed very good agreement and astronaut john glenn said that is what i want to know before i go is get the girl to do it basically laugh laugh. [applause] all of the women who worked thereat the time were girls. And that is what they were called did she was the girl who worked for those fellows coming get the girl to do with did she checks the numbers and they check out with what the computer says then one thumbsup and lets go. That is then john glenn and nato. As fascinated by the vote what is your message to other people would be . And curiosity. But that is an important that we learn from the of book. When you say how is that possible for you in a Work Environment that has segregated bathrooms and cafeteria air cafeteria when they cannot even get a credit card. How can you do this work with that you are confident he would get him into space and bring him jose flea . That is a lot to ask and she said it goes back to life father said, you are no better than anyone else and no one is better than you are. [applause] and also even more than any other the coz it does seem very simple. That nobody is better than you want to give us the confidence to walk into a situation with those who may be different but feel confident we can hold our head high. You are no better than anyone else. So Catherine Johnson thought it was herb prerogative as a black woman in the segregated south and the environment to extend herself with a white male engineers and had such a transcendent sense of humanity in true equality regardless of who they were. In what would and her father say about this . So it seems very simple she says it as if it were and clearly i think that is another that i feel that i have learned a lot through the research. One more question. I know that you will not be able to sign all of these books so valued have another . I have definitely going to be back on the 30th of september at a careful state university. [applause] that will be another opportunity and i will talk with the museum maybe we can work out the of logistics to get as many books and is possible. 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