Hidden Human Computers: The Black Women of NASA

April 1, 2017
Gr 9 Up-A look at people who by dint of determination and skill shaped social, political, and professional arenas but typically have received little or no attention for their efforts. The coverage is thorough. Content includes not only details about what the featured groups did and why but also significant backstory. For instance, in Hidden Computers, the authors describe both this resolute group of black women who became top-notch mathematicians and the history of human computers, going back as far as 1758. The writing is matter-of-fact and unbiased. In The Stonewall Riots, the violence perpetrated by police against protestors is addressed along with the reaction of the protestors. The illustrations consist of archival drawings and photos. The plain white backgrounds and pale shading for sidebars make for a lackluster visual presentation, but the material is solid. VERDICT Good selections for libraries looking for U.S. history that has often gone unacknowledged.

Copyright 2017 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from April 1, 2017
Grades 7-12 *Starred Review* For students wanting to know more about the African American women working at NASA depicted in the movie Hidden Figures, there's just such a volume in the Hidden Heroes series. Because some readers may associate computer with machines, the authors give a thorough explanation of how humans were first used as computers to solve difficult mathematical and physics problems before today's computers were invented. After identifying early black women pioneers in math and science, the book focuses on how WWII created opportunities for black women to serve as computers in the defense industry and the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA), which later became NASA. It describes the roles of these groundbreaking computers, as well as the double discrimination they encountered as women and as African Americans. Archival photos and sidebars enhance the appealing text, which concludes with a brief look at black women who made more advances as astronauts. Extensive back matter, including a time line, facts, additional resources, and a glossary, extend the research value. An essential purchase for STEM collections.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2017, American Library Association.)