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.
Duchess Harris and I (Jan. 2017)
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