Hidden Figures tells the incredible true story of three brilliant African-American women mathematicians—Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson—who worked at NASA during the Space Race of the 1960s. Using their exceptional skills in math and engineering, they performed calculations crucial to launching astronauts into space, all while facing segregation and discrimination. The book reveals how these 'human computers' overcame racial and gender barriers to become essential heroes of American space exploration. Their perseverance and intelligence helped achieve historic milestones like John Glenn's orbital flight and advanced civil rights in the workplace.