The World's Best Book Summaries
What were NASA human computers, and what were they used for? And who were the women who worked as black computers in the famed West Computing Group? In its earlier days, NASA (then NACA) employed an army of people, typically women, to work as NASA human computers. Amongst these people were the black computers who are the focus of the book Hidden Figures. Find out what they did, and how they changed NASA forever.
Who was Bryan Burkhart? What role did he play in the Osage murders? Bryan Burkhart was the brother of Ernest Burkhart, a white man who was married to an Osage woman named Mollie. Ernest and other family members, including Bryan, plotted to kill Mollie’s family members (including Mollie herself) so that they could take control of her money. Continue reading to learn about Bryan Burkhart and his involvement in the Osage murder conspiracy.
Who profited from the drilling of oil in Osage County, Oklahoma? How did it impact the lives of the people who lived there? The oil discovered on the land of the Osage tribe in Oklahoma provided them with life-changing wealth. Sadly, not all of the change was good, as their prosperity put a target on their backs. Keep reading to learn the bloody history of Osage oil.
Who was John Glenn in Hidden Figures? What did John Glenn, Katherine Johnson, and the other human computers have to do with space travel? John Glenn, Katherine Johnson, and their team, called the Space Task Group, helped launch Glenn into space, making him the first man to orbit the Earth.
What started the Space Race? What did it have to do with the Cold War, and was Sputnik really the beginning? Many consider the launch of Sputnik by the Soviets to be the official beginning of the Space Race. The Space Race was defined by the race to the moon between the United State and the Soviet Union. Many people worked towards the goals of the Space Race at NASA, including Hidden Figures character Katherine Johnson.
Who is Dr. Christine Darden in Hidden Figures? How did Christine Darden fight her way into NASA following in the footsteps of people like Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Dorothy Vaughan? Dr. Christine Mann Darden is an American aeronautical engineer. She was a pioneer at NASA as one of the leaders of the Sonic Boom Group. Dr. Christine Darden’s Hidden Figures role shows that the hard work of the women like Jackson, Johnson, and Vaughan paid off for future generals. Christine Darden’s NASA career was made possible by dismantling segregation, and all the women who worked hard to achieve that
What can NASA segregation tell us about the rest of the country during the Civil Rights Movement? What can we learn from Hidden Figures segregation and the fight for equality? NASA segregation reflected the segregation of the rest of the country. But when the president ordered NASA (then NACA) to tap into the large workforce they were ignoring, women like Dorothy Vaughan and Katherine Johnson got the chance to prove themselves. Read how the women of Hidden Figures helped end segregation in NASA.
Who is Mary Jackson in Hidden Figures, and what were her contributions to NASA? Mary Jackson was an American aerospace engineer who worked for NACA (before it became NASA) in 1951. Native to the Hampton Roads area, where Langley Research Center was located, Jackson broke barriers by becoming NASA’s first black female engineer. But what did Mary Jackson do at NASA? For Mary Jackson, NASA was a dream job and a challenge. Learn more about Mary Jackson’s contributions and career.
What were the main NASA Cold War activities, and what happened at NASA during the Cold War? Why was space travel so important? NASA during the Cold War focused relentlessly on getting to the moon. NASA Cold War activities, particularly following the Soviet launch of Sputnik, revolved around tirelessly trying to make scientific discoveries and proving American excellence. See how NASA Cold War history defined the US for generations.
What is Langley Aeronautical Memorial Laboratory, and what is its significance? In Hidden Figures, Langley is the workplace of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, the three women who are credited with helping break through color barriers in science, and who made substantial contributions to space exploration and science. Read about Langley Aeronautical Memorial Laboratory and the experiences of the women in Hidden Figures.