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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 did the students in Christine Mann Darden's high school worry about when they heard the Brown v. Board of Education decision?

2. What does NASA stand for?

3. Who was branch chief that offered James Williams a place on his team?

4. Where was Katherine Goble Johnson when she found out about the jobs available at Langley for black women?

5. How long were schools in Prince Edward closed due to defunding to avoid segregation?

Short Essay Questions

1. What was Mary Jackson's reaction the first time she walked into Hampton High School to take engineering classes?

2. Why did Melvin Butler fail to inform the engineering staff that James Williams was black?

3. Why was there a push toward space for Americans after Russia launched Sputnik?

4. Why did Katherine and Jimmy Goble have to stay with relatives when they attended Jimmy's sister's wedding?

5. What was one major change that occurred when NACA became NASA?

6. What did Americans fear when Russia launched Sputnik?

7. How did black families handle the closing of schools in Prince Edward due to defunding by segregationists?

8. What happened at Moton High School that drew them into the Brown v. Board of Education case?

9. Why was Katherine Goble Johnson warned not to ask for a transfer to an engineering group when she started working at Langley?

10. What happened that allowed Katherine Goble Johnson the opportunity to publish her first research report?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

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 2

Write an essay describing and discussing the objections civil rights leaders had to the space program. What problems did they see with the space program? How did the space program relate to racial inequalities?

Essay Topic 3

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?

(see the answer keys)

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