Podcast
Questions and Answers
What challenge did President Roosevelt present to the aircraft industry?
What challenge did President Roosevelt present to the aircraft industry?
To significantly increase the output of aircrafts to be competitive in a potential war.
What were the human mathematicians referred to as in the context of the NACA?
What were the human mathematicians referred to as in the context of the NACA?
Computers.
What was Dorothy Vaughn doing before she applied for a job at Langley?
What was Dorothy Vaughn doing before she applied for a job at Langley?
What did Dorothy Vaughn's professor recommend she do after college?
What did Dorothy Vaughn's professor recommend she do after college?
Signup and view all the answers
Where did Dorothy Vaughn apply for extra work to support her children's education?
Where did Dorothy Vaughn apply for extra work to support her children's education?
Signup and view all the answers
Who looked after Dorothy's children when both she and her husband were away?
Who looked after Dorothy's children when both she and her husband were away?
Signup and view all the answers
What major change occurred in the area at the time of Dorothy's arrival at Langley?
What major change occurred in the area at the time of Dorothy's arrival at Langley?
Signup and view all the answers
What was the purpose of the double V campaign among Black Americans?
What was the purpose of the double V campaign among Black Americans?
Signup and view all the answers
The workspace for Black women at Langley was segregated.
The workspace for Black women at Langley was segregated.
Signup and view all the answers
What plane were the Tuskegee Airmen known for during WWII?
What plane were the Tuskegee Airmen known for during WWII?
Signup and view all the answers
What did Dorothy study to aid her work at Langley?
What did Dorothy study to aid her work at Langley?
Signup and view all the answers
What was a concern for workers at the end of WWII?
What was a concern for workers at the end of WWII?
Signup and view all the answers
What did Katherine Coleman do during her early career?
What did Katherine Coleman do during her early career?
Signup and view all the answers
Katherine received a graduate degree from West Virginia University.
Katherine received a graduate degree from West Virginia University.
Signup and view all the answers
With whom did Katherine Coleman teach after her marriage?
With whom did Katherine Coleman teach after her marriage?
Signup and view all the answers
Study Notes
Chapter 1 Summary
- President Roosevelt urges the aircraft industry to boost production in anticipation of potential war.
- NACA (National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics) provides governmental support and oversight.
- Langley Field in Virginia houses the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, which is rapidly expanding.
- Human mathematicians, referred to as "computers," are employed to support engineers, with women filling these roles due to lower pay.
- Segregated workspaces are established for Black workers by Butler, due to racial policies.
Chapter 2 Summary
- Dorothy Vaughn, a mother of four, earns more working in a camp laundry than as a high school math teacher.
- A gifted student, she graduated valedictorian and studied math in college before teaching to support her family during the Great Depression.
- In 1943, she applies for a job at Langley after seeing an advertisement seeking women with math skills.
Chapter 3 Summary
- Dorothy returns to teaching in Farmville but receives a job offer from Langley to work through the war.
- Accepting the position in November, she faces lengthy separations from her family due to distance.
- Dorothy's husband, Howard, works at luxury hotels, often traveling for seasonal jobs, leaving their children in the care of relatives.
Chapter 4 Summary
- The area around Langley has transformed from farmland to a hub for war industries with prefabricated housing for civilians.
- Dorothy rents a room in Newsome Park, a development for Black workers.
- Black Americans express frustration over poor living conditions, advocating for equality with the Double V campaign for victory against oppression at home and abroad.
Chapter 5 Summary
- Melvin Butler establishes a workspace for Black women in Langley's West Area, utilizing graduates from the Hampton Institute.
- Malcolm MacLean promotes racial equality among his students, hosting racially mixed events that draw criticism.
- Despite segregationist policies, White engineers generally maintain cordial working relationships with Black computers.
- Miriam Mann takes initiative to remove segregation signs at lunchtime, challenging racial boundaries in the workplace.
Chapter 6 Summary
- The Tuskegee Airmen, noted for their bravery, gain recognition in 1944, with their P-51 Mustang praised for performance.
- Employees at Langley keep the details of their work confidential from the public.
- Langley's aircraft tests involve both free air flight tests and wind tunnel testing, contributing to new designs for military aircraft.
- Dorothy and her peers study engineering physics and aerodynamics to aid in aircraft production, directly influencing the war effort.
Chapter 7 Summary
- In summer 1944, Dorothy leases an apartment in Newsome Park to reunite with her children, increasing family emotional distance from Howard.
- The end of World War II in August 1945 brings celebration but also uncertainty about job security for women and minorities as industries shift back to peacetime.
- Dorothy is determined to make Newport News their home despite the risks associated with her lease commitment.
Chapter 8 Summary
- Katherine Coleman hails from a less tense racial climate in White Sulphur Springs, where her father worked at the Greenbrier resort.
- Demonstrating exceptional academic talent, Katherine skips from second to fifth grade and attends college at fifteen.
- After graduating West Virginia State College, she teaches in Marion, where she marries Jimmy Goble discreetly due to employment norms against hiring married women.
- Katherine is offered a chance to integrate West Virginia University for graduate studies, but leaves when she becomes pregnant, later returning to teaching in 1944.
Studying That Suits You
Use AI to generate personalized quizzes and flashcards to suit your learning preferences.
Description
Dive into the key points of Chapters 1 through 8 of 'Hidden Figures.' This quiz provides a comprehensive overview of notable events including the expansion of NACA and its impact on the aircraft industry during World War II. Perfect for students looking to review important themes and insights from these chapters.
