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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What was the name of the senator from Virginia who vehemently opposed the Fair Employment Practices Committee?

2. What neighborhood near Langley did Dorothy Vaughan eventually permanently settle in?

3. What was the name of the group of black pilots whose exploits were closely followed by the black community during World War II?

4. Who did Dorothy Vaughan think the notice she saw on a bulletin board looking for mathematicians was meant for?

5. What were the employees at Langley warned against doing outside of the workplace during World War II?

Short Essay Questions

1. Why did millions of American women lose their jobs after V-J Day?

2. Why were Howard and Dorothy Vaughan an uneven match for one another?

3. Why were employees of NACA warned not to speak of their work outside the office during World War II?

4. What observation did black leaders make concerning the events occurring in Europe during World War II?

5. What was the goal of NACA during World War II?

6. What does Shetterly want for the women she writes about in Hidden Figures?

7. Why was Margery Hannah considered a pariah by some of her white coworkers?

8. Why did Joshua Coleman rent a house for his wife and children that was 125 miles away from their home?

9. How did designating women as "subprofessionals" help the laboratory?

10. Why was it necessary for Melvin Butler to begin hiring black women as computers?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Shetterly dedicates an entire chapter to Mary Jackson’s son entering a soap box derby. Write an essay explaining the purpose of this chapter. How does the chapter relate to the themes of the book? What information about the individuals focused on does Shetterly communicate through this chapter? What information does the chapter communicate about racial relations during the time period?

Essay Topic 2

Shetterly writes about how the area surrounding Langley Research Center affected those working at Langley. Write an essay describing the area and the way it impacted lives of African Americans living and working in the area. What was the area like? What housing was available to African Americans? How did being located in a segregated area affect Langley Research Center?

Essay Topic 3

Write an essay explaining why Shetterly includes a discussion of the original Star Trek television series. What was important about the series? How did it relate to the civil rights movement? How did the series relate to the work being done at Langley?

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