{"id":11426,"date":"2025-11-15T13:08:55","date_gmt":"2025-11-15T12:08:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sciencesforgirls.com\/coup-de-coeur\/hidden-figures-when-space-exploration-meets-the-fight-for-equality\/"},"modified":"2025-11-25T13:08:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-25T12:08:09","slug":"hidden-figures-when-space-exploration-meets-the-fight-for-equality","status":"publish","type":"coup-de-coeur","link":"https:\/\/sciencesforgirls.com\/en\/coup-de-coeur\/hidden-figures-when-space-exploration-meets-the-fight-for-equality\/","title":{"rendered":"“Hidden Figures”: When space exploration meets the fight for equality…"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Summary<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Derri\u00e8re les grands noms de la course \u00e0 l\u2019espace se cachent des h\u00e9ro\u00efnes m\u00e9connues. \u00ab Les Figures de l\u2019ombre \u00bb (2016) r\u00e9v\u00e8le comment trois femmes noires de la NASA \u2013 Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan et Mary Jackson \u2013 ont bris\u00e9 les barri\u00e8res du racisme et du sexisme pour fa\u00e7onner l\u2019histoire scientifique. Leur parcours, popularis\u00e9 par le cin\u00e9ma, reste une source d\u2019inspiration pour repenser la place des femmes et des minorit\u00e9s dans les sciences. <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Poster for the film “Hidden Figures\u2019”
Source : https:\/\/image.tmdb.org\/<\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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La science comme acte de r\u00e9sistance<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The stars do not belong only to those who observe them through a telescope, but also to those who dare to reach for them despite the barriers.<\/p>

The 1960s were marked by important scientific and social issues. On the one hand, there was the \u2018space race\u2019, in which the United States and Russia competed for technological advances in space exploration; on the other, American society was living under the yoke of severe racial segregation. <\/p>

Dans ce contexte, trois femmes noires ont d\u00e9fi\u00e9 les barri\u00e8res des pr\u00e9jug\u00e9s et ont laiss\u00e9 une empreinte profonde dans l’histoire de la science mondiale. Elles s’appelaient Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan et Mary Jackson. Toutes trois ont travaill\u00e9 \u00e0 la NASA, contribuant au succ\u00e8s des missions spatiales et devenant des symboles de r\u00e9sistance et de repr\u00e9sentativit\u00e9. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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1. Trois femmes, trois destins scientifiques exceptionnels<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Katherine Johnson: The mathematician who calculated the trajectory to the Moon<\/strong><\/h4>

Katherine Johnson, born in Virginia in 1918, distinguished herself in mathematics at an early age.<\/p>

She graduated at the age of 18 and, in 1953, joined NACA, which would later become NASA.<\/p>

Elle a effectu\u00e9 des calculs essentiels pour les missions spatiales, v\u00e9rifi\u00e9 manuellement la trajectoire de John Glenn et contribu\u00e9 \u00e0 Apollo 11, qui a emmen\u00e9 l’homme sur la Lune.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Katherine JOHNSON
Source : https:\/\/sciencesforgirls.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dorothy Vaughan: The pioneer of computing<\/strong><\/h4>

Dorothy Vaughan, born in Missouri in 1910, worked as a teacher before joining the NACA in 1943 as a \u201chuman computer\u201d.<\/p>

Elle est devenue la premi\u00e8re superviseure noire de la NASA, dirigeant la section informatique et enseignant la programmation en Fortran \u00e0 ses coll\u00e8gues, s’assurant ainsi qu’elles restent comp\u00e9tentes \u00e0 l’\u00e8re des ordinateurs.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Dorothy VAUGHAN
Source : https:\/\/sciencesforgirls.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Mary Jackson : L\u2019ing\u00e9nieure qui a forc\u00e9 les portes de l\u2019\u00e9ducation<\/strong><\/h4>

Mary Jackson, n\u00e9e en 1921 \u00e0 Hampton, en Virginie, a obtenu un dipl\u00f4me en math\u00e9matiques et en physique, et est devenue la premi\u00e8re ing\u00e9nieure a\u00e9rospatiale noire de la NASA apr\u00e8s avoir obtenu l’autorisation judiciaire d’\u00e9tudier dans une \u00e9cole s\u00e9gr\u00e9gu\u00e9e.<\/p>

She worked to promote equality within the agency and encourage women and minorities.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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Mary JACKSON
Source : https:\/\/sciencesforgirls.com<\/a><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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2. \u00ab Les Figures de l\u2019ombre \u00bb : Un film qui r\u00e9\u00e9crit l\u2019Histoire<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t
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Image taken from the movie “Hidden Figures”
Source : Le Mag du Cin\u00e9<\/a><\/span><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Recognition of these women by the general public came much later, but in spectacular fashion thanks to cinema. The stories of these women, told in the film Hidden Figures (2016), reveal their scientific and social importance. They concretely illustrate the concept of intersectionality, which deals with the struggle against simultaneous oppressions related to gender, race and social class (Crenshaw, 1989; Hill Collins, 1990). Others, such as feminist thinker bell hooks, believe that feminism must fight against all forms of domination by valuing the experiences of black women, who are often rendered invisible by these forms of oppression (Hooks, 2000). Angela Davis, an American philosopher, adds to this reflection by showing how the work of black women has historically been devalued, even though it is essential to social progress (Davis, 1981). <\/p>

Les histoires de Katherine, Dorothy et Mary transcendent le r\u00e9cit de la conqu\u00eate spatiale : elles repr\u00e9sentent une r\u00e9volution silencieuse, guid\u00e9e par la science, la pers\u00e9v\u00e9rance et la recherche de l’\u00e9galit\u00e9. Leur h\u00e9ritage est technique, social et profond\u00e9ment politique, montrant que l’occupation des espaces de pouvoir et de connaissance est une forme de r\u00e9sistance et de transformation collective dans une perspective intersectionnelle. <\/p>


How can these stories encourage young pupils, especially girls, to take an interest in science? And how can parents, teachers and educators draw inspiration from them to spark scientific curiosity? <\/p>

The film Hidden Figures is not just a story about the space race: it is a story of courage, intelligence and perseverance. By following the journeys of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, we discover that science is not reserved for a privileged few. It is made up of effort, daring, collaboration and passion. These three women had to fight against the racial and sexist prejudices of their time, but they proved that no barrier can prevent knowledge from advancing when the will is there. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

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\u00ab Saviez-vous que les calculs de Katherine Johnson ont \u00e9t\u00e9 si pr\u00e9cis qu\u2019astronaute John Glenn a exig\u00e9 qu\u2019elle v\u00e9rifie ceux de l\u2019ordinateur avant son vol ? Une preuve que l\u2019expertise humaine reste irrempla\u00e7able. \u00bb<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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3. L\u2019h\u00e9ritage des \u00ab Figures de l\u2019ombre \u00bb : ce que le film transmet aux jeunes<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Watching this film helps us understand that scientists are not distant figures, but people who doubt, try, make mistakes, and then try again. It also shows us that women have always played an essential role in discoveries, even if their contributions have often been overlooked. For many young girls, these stories show that it is possible to love mathematics, physics or technology, and to find a space in which to express their creativity and curiosity. <\/p>

Apr\u00e8s le film, chacun peut prolonger la r\u00e9flexion \u00e0 sa mani\u00e8re. Les jeunes spectateurs peuvent noter ce qui les a le plus touch\u00e9s : une sc\u00e8ne, une phrase, un personnage. Ce \u00ab journal d\u2019inspiration \u00bb aide \u00e0 mettre des mots sur ce qu\u2019on ressent et \u00e0 comprendre ce qui nous attire dans la science. Il permet aussi de se poser des questions : qu\u2019est-ce qui m\u2019a impressionn\u00e9\u00b7e ? Qu\u2019est-ce que j\u2019aimerais apprendre ou d\u00e9couvrir \u00e0 mon tour ? Ces r\u00e9flexions peuvent \u00eatre le point de d\u00e9part d\u2019une vocation, ou simplement d\u2019un regard plus curieux sur le monde. <\/p>

Parents et enseignants peuvent accompagner ce moment en encourageant la discussion : que nous apprend le film sur le travail en \u00e9quipe, sur la pers\u00e9v\u00e9rance, sur la justice ? Quelles autres femmes scientifiques m\u00e9riteraient d\u2019\u00eatre mieux connues ? Chercher ensemble leurs histoires, en faire des affiches ou des pr\u00e9sentations, c\u2019est une belle fa\u00e7on de montrer que la science appartient \u00e0 tout le monde et qu\u2019elle se nourrit de diversit\u00e9. <\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\u00ab Connaissiez-vous ces trois scientifiques avant ce film ? Quelles autres figures m\u00e9connues de l\u2019histoire des sciences devrions-nous mettre en lumi\u00e8re ? \t\t\t\t\t<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\tPartagez vos d\u00e9couvertes avec le hashtag #ScienceInvisible \t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Ressources et r\u00e9f\u00e9rences :<\/strong><\/h1>

Books<\/p>