Octavia Spencer, Taraji P. Henson, and Janelle Monae star in this account of African-American women working for NASA during the beginning of the Space Race between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. It’s hard to believe that back in the early 1960s there were still segregated bathrooms even in an “advanced” Government agency like NASA. Hidden Figures is based on the book with the same title by Margot Lee Shetterly which tells the story of the impact African-American women had on the Space Program. I also liked Glen Powell’s portrayal of astronaut John Glenn who comes off as open-minded for that era. If you’re in the mood for an uplifting, inspiring film with humor and wit then I recommend Hidden Figures. GRADE: A
Sometimes the past is much closer than we believe, George. Blacks, women, and other disenfranchised had it pretty rough back then. Sadly, too many have it rough today and, with the on-going political climate, it may get worse. On the bright side, this movie reminds us that we are all one and, if we ignore the the talents and humanity of every one of us, we do so at our own peril. (End of sermon.)
Jerry, I had the same feeling watching HIDDEN FIGURES as I did with THE HELP: could we have been so blind and cruel in America?
Wow!
I just read the wiki entry on the movie’s “heroine” Katherine Johnson – that was a really extraordinary feat, studying math as a black woman. She really had to be a kind of genius to be accepted – I remember very well that even in Germany in the 60s women in our math lectures were looked at strangely sometimes and of course they were a small minority.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katherine_Johnson
The big problem even today is:
If you’re really very good you have a chance – but if you’re just averagely good – then as a woman, a coloured person or a member of another minority you often aren’t accepted.
Wolf, the story of HIDDEN FIGURES is just being revealed, but NASA celebrated these women for years. I’m glad their stories are finally being told.
Her run for that women’s’ room was heartbreaking.
Patti, segregated bathrooms (in a different building) demonstrated the cruelty of those times.
This is on our list for Florida. Apparently it was true about Glenn. He refused to fly until she certified that it was safe!
Jeff, actually John Glenn wanted to know where he was going to LAND! Glenn comes off as a genuine Nice Guy in this film.
This is a film we want to see, but probably will wait until it’s available on Netflix. Yes, that’s how we were then, no we didn’t know any better. I grew up in California, where it was less pronounced. I never saw a White Only bathroom.
My mother, Jean Robinson, was the first female math major to graduate from Stanford University.
Rick, congratulations on your mother’s historic achievement. It’s sad to realize how brutal our country can be to minorities. It’s a stain on our History.
Yes, however it would be good to focus on the positive.
That’s great. We’ve been there several times. I really like the Stanford campus.
My cousin Nancy’s (late) mother in law was the first Jewish woman doctor in Atlanta.
Jeff, congratulations to you on your cousin Nancy’s mother-in-law being the first Jewish woman doctor in Atlanta! It’s great to be part of History.
Rick, congratulations to you and your mother!
Since I don’t know what you’re working in – did your mother’s math ability transfer to you?
I know that math often runs in the family – but not necessarily so,I’m the only one in my family who was ever interested – and even got a diploma (that would be MA in the USA).
Back to segregation:
I once read that the Pentagon also was planned and built with the idea of race-oriented rest rooms – but when it was used there was no longer any segregation in the military. Is that true?
I also never saw a white only sign, growing up mainly in CA. I do remember my mother taking the woman who worked as a maid for the man across the street places on her day off. She had to hide in the car so he wouldn’t see her. I remember thinking it was a fun game, not knowing what was happening. She was black, and we took her to see her family. I’m not sure how she got home, nor how often we did it.
Maggie, trying to make sense of behavior in those days is a strain. My locker in High School was next to one of the three African-American students going to our school. I was friendly with Marshiko James, but a lot of students gave me a “funny look” when they saw me talking with her. Strange Times…
We were always brought up differently, though various family members did make remarks I considered offensive.
Jeff, very few of my relatives made rude remarks about other people. We were a Live-and-Let-Live kind of family. For several years, my father was the head of the Neighborhood Youth Corps which found jobs for poor teenagers. One morning when he went to work, he found a young man sleeping outside his Office. When my father asked the youth what he was doing there, he said, “I wanted to be the first in line for a job. So I came here last night and stayed until you got here.” Stories like that affected all of us Kelley kids even though we had limited contact with African-Americans. Niagara Falls was a pretty segregated city (and still is).
I spent most of my childhood in the South and segregation was a way of life!