What is the setting of the book hidden figures?

“Hidden Figures”: Where Rocket Science Met Real Life

Margot Lee Shetterly’s “Hidden Figures”? It’s more than just a book; it’s a time capsule. It throws you right into Hampton, Virginia, from the ’30s to the ’60s, a place where dreams of space took flight amidst the harsh realities of segregation. This isn’t just a backdrop; it’s the very air these incredible women breathed.

Think about it: Langley Research Center, later NASA Langley, was buzzing with brilliant minds racing to conquer the skies. They were designing planes that could break the sound barrier, mapping out the routes that would send astronauts into orbit. It was a hotbed of innovation, no doubt.

But here’s the kicker: this groundbreaking work happened in a world sharply divided by color. The “Hidden Figures,” these amazing African-American women, were part of the West Area Computing unit. Picture this: an all-Black, all-female team of mathematicians, initially kept separate from their white colleagues. Separate bathrooms, separate lunchrooms, fewer chances to climb the ladder. Talk about a slap in the face. Yet, despite all that, their brains and sheer grit were absolutely essential to America’s success in the space race. It’s mind-blowing, isn’t it?

Now, Hampton, Virginia, wasn’t just some random town. It was a living, breathing example of the racial tensions simmering across the country. Virginia, like much of the South, was shackled by Jim Crow laws. These laws were like invisible fences, dictating where Black folks could live, go to school, even sit on a bus. It was a constant battle for basic dignity.

“Hidden Figures” really brings home how these laws wormed their way into every corner of these women’s lives, both at Langley and beyond. Can you imagine navigating segregated neighborhoods, fighting for your kids to get a decent education, all while knowing your talent was being undervalued simply because of your skin color? It’s infuriating! But the book also shines a light on the growing Civil Rights Movement, a beacon of hope in Hampton as people stood up and demanded change. Seeing Langley slowly desegregate, well, that mirrored the bigger fight to tear down those Jim Crow walls for good.

So, “Hidden Figures” isn’t just about math and rockets. It’s about the human spirit, about overcoming obstacles that seem insurmountable. It’s about a group of extraordinary women who refused to be hidden, who proved that talent knows no color. Understanding the world they lived in, the challenges they faced, makes their achievements all the more remarkable. It’s a story that stays with you, long after you’ve turned the final page.