Hidden Human Computers: The Black Women of NASA

Hidden Heroes

by Sue Bradford Edwards, Duchess Harris

Hidden Human Computers discusses how in the 1950s, black women made critical contributions to NASA by performing calculations that made it possible for the nation's astronauts to fly into space and return safely to Earth. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Biography, Space, Science, Mathematics, Historical

112 pages, Library Binding

Published January 1, 2017

Reviews

[Monica · Rating 4 out of 5]

This would be an excellent book to share with young women of all ethnicities. It can inspire them all as well as ensure them that women have played a part in history even though it is seldom recognized.
It is also a good source of factual material.

[Suzanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

At ALA Midwinter 2017, Duchess Harris spoke to audiences about her book and her legacy as the granddaughter of one of NASA's hidden human computers. Growing up with that story in her family, she was inspired to pursue her own academic and career goals. Now she has co-authored this book that tells the story of those African American women who helped make the Space Race possible. Anyone who has seen the movie "Hidden Figures" has an idea of the prejudice and limitations these women had to deal with, and now this title for young readers makes it an accessible piece of history. Besides the details of the various women who are featured in the account, the archival photos make sure that they are not faceless names in a history book. Sidebars hold numerous extra facts and references.

For classes tracing the history of Civil Rights in the US, this is a book that describes the earliest opportunities for education and advancement from the time of the Civil War up to the opening of NASA's Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity in 2015. Back matter includes a timeline, Essential Facts (key figures, events, and their impact on society), a glossary, and a list of additional resources.

[Linda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Due to the coloring used in the insets and descriptions of pictures, this book is a hard read on the eyes. Finally I just gave up trying to read the white print on pale blue, the pale blue print on white and pale mustard yellow with white printing. One should not have to struggle to read a book due to the colors of the print and background.

There was some really good content; the coloring of the print and background spoiled the book for me.

[Mike · Rating 3 out of 5]

Content was excellent but sections in an odd font and color.

Thin white font on gold background, thin blue font on white background then gold font on white background all in semi glossy paper made it at times difficult to read.

I’ve read Margot Lee Shetterlys book Hidden Figures and have seen the movie so I find the topic fascination but this book could’ve been packaged much better.

[Beth Nienow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent YA treatment of the NASA "hidden figures." Co-authored by the granddaughter of one of the African American women computers and Macalester professor, Duchess Harris. Interesting to learn of Macalester's Human Computers at NASA digital archive project.

[Tracie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Facts about the unknown and unsung African American women who worked at NASA.

[Brenda Kahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Highly readable collective biography of the important roles that African American women had in space exploration research and ultimately space travel.

[Hiroko Z · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hidden Human Computers by Sue Bradford Edwards and Duchess Harris is a non-fiction book about the history black women working at NACA and NASA. Throughout the 1900s, women black and white were human computers working on the math behind the aircrafts. Before NASA was the National Air and Space Administration, it was NACA, the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics who constructed airplanes. The job of the black women at NASA was to do all the calculations, the math and then give it to engineers so they could construct. They explain how important the job of these women were because if there was the even the tiniest error in a calculation, it could kill the pilot. In this book they go through a timeline and history if these computers going back to the 1700s all the way to today.
I liked this book and recommend it for anyone who’s interested in math and science. It was very interesting and I learned so much from reading it. I hope you enjoy the book too.

[Kirstin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book! The history was very interesting and the pictures were great as well. The authors have done an excellent job of explaining what was happening and why during the time. I plan on donating this book to my daughter's middle school.

[C.E. G]

Another great one from this author pairing that teachers and librarians can give to students writing reports.