Feb 24
Uptown Film Center at the Thalia New York, NY
TicketsDr. Moiya McTier
Astrophysicist; Science Communicator; Folklorist
Hidden Figures— Black Women Bending Space and Time
Program Description
Before rockets could break the sound barrier, Black women mathematicians were already bending space and time. Hidden Figures follows the behind-the-scenes race to launch astronaut John Glenn into orbit, powered by the extraordinary work and forgotten brilliance of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson. As NASA hurtles toward the Space Age in the late 50s and 60s, orbital mechanics, hand-calculated trajectories, and razor-sharp math become tools of both scientific triumph and social change.
Astrophysicist Dr. Moiya McTier will introduce the film and speak about these first Black women who made waves in their fields, and, more importantly, about those who followed. This introduction will serve as an epilogue to the film, celebrating the brilliant women who were able to follow on the lightly trodden paths of Mary Jackson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Katherine Johnson.
Film Synopsis
A team of African American women provide NASA with important mathematical data needed to launch the program's first successful space missions.
As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, three brilliant African American women at NASA — Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer), and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe) — became the brains behind one of the greatest operations in history: the launch of astronaut John Glenn (Glen Powell) into orbit, a stunning achievement that restored the nation's confidence, turned around the Space Race, and captivated the world.
About the Speaker
Dr. Moiya McTier is an astrophysicist, science communicator, and folklorist, described as a “folklorist to the stars, and astrophysicist to the folks.” Sitting at the intersection of science and storytelling, fact and fiction, complex concepts and chaotic creativity, she is known for her sharp wit and infectious enthusiasm, connecting complex science to history, race, and the joy of discovery.