Is the movie Hidden Figures (2016) based on a true story?

Yes, Hidden Figures is based on a true story. The movie is adapted from a non-fiction book of the same name by Margot Lee Shetterly, which tells the story of a group of female African-American NASA mathematicians who played a crucial role in the Space Race during the 1960s. The main characters in the movie, Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, were real historical figures.

What is the true story behind the movie Hidden Figures (2016)?

The movie Hidden Figures is based on the true story of three African American women – Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson – who were mathematical geniuses and played a vital role in the early days of NASA during the Space Race.

These women faced discrimination and segregation in the workplace and society in general, but they persisted in their careers and broke down barriers.

Katherine Johnson was responsible for calculating trajectories for the spacecraft that carried Astronaut John Glenn, making her a critical part of the success of the mission. Dorothy Vaughan was a computer programmer who became NASA’s first African American supervisor. Mary Jackson became a pioneer in the field of aerospace engineering, fighting for her right to attend segregated courses and eventually becoming the first African American female engineer at NASA.

Their contributions to the space program and society at large were largely unrecognized for decades, but the movie Hidden Figures brought their story to the forefront and illuminated the struggles and triumphs of these remarkable women.

Are there any books about the true story behind the movie Hidden Figures (2016)?

Yes, there are several books about the true story behind the movie Hidden Figures:

1. Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly, the book that inspired the movie.
2. Hidden Figures Young Readers’ Edition by Margot Lee Shetterly, a version of the book for younger readers.
3. Hidden Figures: The True Story of Four Black Women and the Space Race by Rebecca Rissman, a book for younger readers.
4. Hidden Human Computers: The Black Women of NASA by Sue Bradford Edwards and Duchess Harris, a book aimed at middle-grade readers.
5. Rise of the Rocket Girls: The Women Who Propelled Us, From Missiles to the Moon to Mars by Nathalia Holt, a book about female mathematicians who worked at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, who are similar to the women portrayed in Hidden Figures.

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