One weekend afternoon undecided what to do in London- too tired to walk and get on a tube, started browsing.
Cinema perhaps? Selected- the nearest spot- Brixton theatre cinema.
‘’Hidden Figures was on’’- I could not allow myself the chance to miss it.
Ready- went on foot- nice cinema- very few people purchasing tickets- mainly English ‘’whites’’.
No children. Selected my row. Selected my seat. Patiently waiting for the film. No Popcorn- no drink- no need.
The great history of first mainframe IBM machines- for calculus- cooperating- actively cooperating with NASA.
Year: 1961. The Cold War with Soviet Union was in ‘’active status’’.
The nice history of a ‘’NEGRO’’ American woman who struggled to be accepted in a world of white American men- and ‘’Coloured ‘’ on top.
She was good at Math- Physics- coming from Virginia.
The States involved were Virginia, South Carolina and Florida- different buses seats for blacks and whites- toilets- schools- colleges.
Emotionally watching the film in American English- subtitled in English.
The woman struggled hard to be accepted- she brilliantly showed her talent in the long run- nice- black woman- all dressed up and make up along with her 2 other girls friends.
She overworked- had to show her talent- to go further- she arrived late in the evening at home- living with her mother and 3 children she had of her deceased husband,
Complicated calculus how to send a space shuttle to orbit- Russians had done it first.
HIDDEN FIGURES – the IBM room- the first one of mainframe machines- the first room of simple computer girls- all girls- recruited by IBM- simple tasks.
Very short temper mine for long films- only short ones- That was the only case in which I decided not to visit a ‘’museum’’.
Bullied- the first weeks- she had to prove her value- all men- sceptical – cleaning my sight glasses to ‘’hear’’ better!
Not allowed to enter the Pentagon- woman- and black.
Johnson appreciated many years later- first IBM machines- for them fast in those early 60’s.
The BLACK MATHEMATICIAN AND PHICIST WOMAN’S CHILDREN EDUCATED BY THE GRANDMOTHER IN CHORES AND LOVE.
Emotions- she manged to be a great support for NASA job- but most and foremost for IBM work.
‘’Bill Gates was still a child going to elementary school’’. Who could have guessed!
First successful space shuttle sent to orbit- year 1962.
The 1962’s NASA Director decided to allow the ‘’Coloured’ woman to get access to the white lady’s toilets- in order to be ‘’available’ when needed.
The woman had only one very strong ‘’outburst’’ when her boss asked her@ where she had you been all that time?
She shouted very high. Shouted: To the NEGROS toilets- very far away.
She was awarded prizes at the age of 97. She had a second marriage- second husband passed away much earlier than her.
‘’HIDDEN FIGURES’’ Calculus- not immediately recognized by the world- made of men- She witnessed the landing to the moon- 1969- she was working both for NASA and IBM.
Is the research for space discovery useful today? I would say no. No life in our galaxy for sure. The nice science fiction film 2001 space Odessey proved to be very far away from the reality.
Very strong emotions with that film- it was a weekend in London- already dark outside- light rain- grab a fast-food ingredient on my own and went back to the room I lived in waiting for a Monday to tell no one …………………………French fries- deep sleep and reflection.
REFLECTION: the best was yet to come in technology- but…but….the 60’s , the 70.s and the 80.s many more jobs than today- for the so called not very ‘’brilliant ones’’ many more jobs.
LOW SALARIES – but more jobs to earn your living-
‘’NORMAL JOBS’’ to retire one day earlier- at least in the USA.
Today you have …….
Told to me ‘’land lord’’ the day after the film I recommended him to watch- a situation of discrimination of NEGROS in the USA.
Reply from him, already British- born in Africa: ‘’ The story of those Afro American has nothing to do with mine- or ours- the only thing we ‘’share’’ is the colour of the skin.’’
I replied in Spanish- since he spoke Spanish: ASI ES.
ADIOS.
Went on with my life still on probation in the job.
HIDDEN FIGURES everywhere – exposed useless ones everywhere somehow- their ‘’voices’ suggesting something- anything- nothing.
HIDDEN FIGURES
Nice film, still strong emotions, watched for the second time on line- strong emotions and reflections: YEAR 2025.THE INTERNET ARCHIVE.
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Author:
Swarovski20 (
Offline) - Published: May 25th, 2025 05:48
- Category: Reflection
- Views: 7
- Users favorite of this poem: Soman Ragavan
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Comments2
The piece reflects the same message of the film (nicely summarized) of discrimination toward race and gender and one could take it further toward any minority difference. The world changes slowly in social areas compared to its rapid change in technology. A reflection that merits consideration and its implications.
Yes, sorebarrett, you are right.She was particularly good, if, it were not for that, no hope. We have to recognize it. How many great talents are there today? What does minority mean? is a woman a second sex here, it depends on nationality, money, talent, age, .........and health. Is black skin color a minority? I would not say so. Many things have been accepted today, and considered as normal, even in my country same sex marriage, same sex child.
The film provoked me strong emotions, is true, thanks for taking the time read my writings. That woman had talent-
“She shouted very high. Shouted: To the NEGROS toilets- very far away….”
They made separate toilets for Blacks and Whites. But they saw not that the sewerage pipes joined up at some point….
During apartheid in South Africa, there were separate wards in hospitals for Whites, Blacks and other communities. When a patient arrived, they had to be directed according to their race. There was one case where the race was not clear. Staff took so long to decide that the patient died on the trolley…
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