7 minute read
Hidden Figures: The Space Race as an Allegory for the Progression of Racial Justice in America
Written by Michelle Cruz
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Change occurs when one takes the first step towards a goal. The race to see which country could be the first to land on the moon was a pivotal moment in the technological and scientific advancement for the U.S. However, occurring at the same time during this historic period was the Civil Rights Movement, and the struggle for Black people to be acknowledged as equals.
The unmoving and static state of the Space Race in the biographical drama Hidden Figures parallels the lack of progress towards racial justice in the U.S. It is because of this that the “design principle”, also known as the filmic structure or essence of the film based on the true stories of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson, is the Space Race. The film continuously situates the two narratives side by side. When Al makes all of the bathrooms racially inclusive in the workplace, which was something unusual at the time, Katherine is able to be more productive in her job to help NASA. When Katherine is permitted to attend the briefings, progress for the U.S. side of the Space Race is possible. These instances show that change in perspective is necessary to advance the story. The narrative places Katherine as one of the most significant contributors to the U.S. being the first to land on the moon. This is only possible through the positive development of the attitudes of white characters such as Al, and the empowering representation that the film gives to Black women such as Katherine. In this way, the main theme of Hidden Figures is about the concept of change through the inclusion of Black people to shift America into a progressive future.
Halfway through the film, Al expresses his disappointment to his employees over the Russians advancing further than the U.S. in the Space Race. As already mentioned, the Space Race’s narrative parallels Katherine’s struggle to be seen as equal in her workplace in spite of her race. While Al rambles on about the lack of progress, he fails to see the real issue which is right in front of him. He fails to see the issue at a micro level. Katherine is the only Black woman in the room. Additionally, as a white man, he has the privilege of speaking up about his frustrations, while Katherine is unable to.
In a pivotal scene in the film, Katherine lashes out at her coworkers and at Al for the discrimination and segregation that she faces daily. Thus, when Al says, “Is it possible that it actually means more to them?” (Hidden Figures 55:16-55:18) it reveals that he does not realize that by elevating Katherine to a higher position, she can help advance America in the Space Race. As her boss, his condoning of his employees’ discrimination towards Katherine affects her work ethic and self-esteem. Up
until the bathroom scene, he does not stop to realize why Katherine constantly leaves her desk for long periods of time. He is blinded by his white privilege and so he is unable to see the faults of his country in not even providing Black people the basic human right to access a bathroom.
Katherine being the only Black person in her work area makes her a first, but with change comes the responsibility to be accommodated for. There are no “coloured” bathrooms for Katherine, and this struggle is clearly illustrated through her continuously running back and forth from her desk to the bathroom. This plotline illustrates the flaws in a society constructed by white people to favour themselves above everyone else. It also demonstrates the hardships BIPOC people have to endure to obtain the same opportunities as their white peers.
Katherine experiences character growth in the bathroom scene, as this is the first time that she stands up for herself and speaks out against the discrimination in the workplace. Her voice is heard. Her determination to do her job, even subjecting herself to running a long distance to get to the bathroom, and then the powerful dialogue that she speaks in this scene makes her resilient. This is ultimately what creates change.
She works to make Al rethink his decisions and prioritizations. When Katherine manages to unveil a sliver of the horrors of racial injustice to Al when she returns back from the bathroom soaking wet, he has a rude awakening. This allows for him to his change his perspective and the rules, making the bathrooms racially inclusive. Bringing down the “Coloured Ladies Bathroom” sign is significant because rather than simply being “non-racist”, Al begins to actively participate in being anti-racist.
Mary’s conflict in the film is about her struggle to get accepted into an all-white school, Hampton High School, for courses she needs to become a NASA engineer. Similar to how the film portrays one of Katherine’s obstacles, which is to juggle going to the bathroom while working intensely for hours every day, Mary must also speak out and become a vocal figure to propel herself forward in her career. She petitions to attend the all-white school in front of a judge, who grants her the permission to be the first Black woman to do so.
The scene where her heel gets stuck into the floor vent symbolizes the way Mary is being held back from reaching her full potential at the beginning of the film. It also subtly mirrors the idea of an unaccommodating workplace environment for a Black woman, as the dress shoe-wearing men could never get stuck into the floor vent the way Mary does. This initial resistance to accommodate for Black women is another way in how Mary’s storyline parallels with Katherine’s.
Lastly, Dorothy seeks to become a supervisor for her West Area coworkers but to no avail, she instead teaches herself and her coworkers about programming. Successful in her plan, she becomes a supervisor for the Programming Department. While Dorothy’s arc is about moving towards racial justice like the other protagonists, she overcomes her personal obstacle by uplifting her coworkers who are also Black women and by helping them get transferred to the Programming Department. In this way, Dorothy’s storyline demonstrates that change is not solely at the individual level like it is shown through Katherine and Mary’s storylines, but that it includes the effort to support and seek out justice for others as well. This is how true progress is made.
At the halfway point of the film, Martin Luther King Jr. says, “This is not a struggle for ourselves alone. It is a struggle to save the soul of America.” (Hidden Figures 01:10:34-01:10:39) through a television screen. The film precisely adheres to this message by showcasing how technological and scientific advancement is possible through the inclusion of marginalized communities because they are equally capable. Through Al’s change in subjectivity, the film provides an insight into how, when it comes to racial inequality, passivity is detrimental and effects everyone in general. Katherine’s development into a strong and empowering Black woman equally propels the story forward with the historical setting of the Space Race. Mary and Dorothy’s storylines also assist to demonstrate change at the individual and collective level. Thus, the Space Race serves as the design principle because it carries the theme of change which is prevalent in this film about obtaining racial justice, and the portrayal of a shift towards a progressive America.
Conclusion
Racial tensions in America have subsisted, especially within the last year when one examines the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement after the murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor by police. These racial conflicts presented in the film; white privilege and systemic discrimination continue to act as a part of our modern society. The conflicts faced by Katherine, Dorothy and Mary that took place in the 60s illustrate relevancy in the present, and shows how much progress there still needs to be made.
Works Cited
Hidden Figures. Directed by Theodore Melfi. Fox 2000 Pictures, 2016. Film.
