Hidden Figures is an inspirational movie based on true events about a woman named Katherine G. Johnson. She was an African American woman who lived during a time when racism and segregation were the norms. She worked for NASA doing calculation data that would contribute to a successful trip to space. At work, she suffered not only because of the color of her skin but also because of her gender.

The movie starts off with a young Katherine walking while counting and naming the different shapes in her surroundings. Her parents are informed by Katherine’s principal that Katherine has been given the opportunity to skip a few grades. Katherine went from being a 6th grader to a high schooler and graduated at the age of 14. She was the first African American to attend one of the top universities in Virginia and land herself a job at NASA. Not only did Katherine persevere in the workforce, but she also persevered in her personal life. Later in the movie, it becomes known that Katherine is a widow with three children who want to spend more time with their hard-working mother.

Award-winning actress Taraji P. Henson played the role of Katherine, alongside Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae who played Katherine’s good friends. It was surprising to see Janelle Monae act in a movie because she is known mostly for her music. The movie was very moving, and I recommend it to anyone who would like to learn about the struggles African Americans and women faced during the early 1900s, as well as the struggles NASA employees faced to get a successful trip to space. I would definitely give this movie five stars!

Here is my favorite quote from the movie: “You know civil rights ain’t civil.”