I believe that hard work is an attribute that everyone should have. The people described in Hidden Figures, Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson, and Christine Darden, all showed this attribute, as well as dedication, skill, and courage. As the book follows their stories throughout their careers at Langley Laboratory we see them working with a determination and skill that sent man into space. Without the hard work of these, and many others, America may have never reached the moon. The book Hidden Figures gives the stories of dedicated individuals who used hard work to achieve the goals they had set for themselves. I believe this is the most important lesson gathered from the book in this stage of education; hard work and dedication can take you anywhere you want to go. Even before reaching the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, the women in Hidden Figures had to work harder than most to provide for their families. Many of them working as teachers and barely making Dorothy Vaughan worked 28 years as a mathematician, dedication much of her working career to the NACA and NASA. Katherine Johnson spent 33 years working at Langley, always with the same dedication she had on the first day. Mary Jackson also worked for 28 years as a mathematician and engineer, and towards the end of her career worked as the Federal Women’s Program Manager. Her dedication to equality led her to this position. These women all showed dedication to throughout their entire careers. They did not become complacent when they achieve a goal, they started working towards the next one. We will have to do the same thing. We cannot wavier in our dedication once we have accomplished something we must build on it. We should continue to the next goal, and be just as dedicated to it, just as the women at Langley
...ing to survive. Their militant demeanor and strong willed nature foreshadowed the coming modern civil rights movement. They realized the importance of education and utilized it to change the climate of their time. I think these to women defined the term "ordinary to extraordinary". They had both broke through color and gender barriers and earned the respect and admiration of colleagues, politicians the African American people. Who knows what would have happened if these two brave women did not stand up and accomplish what they had done. Would "White Supremacy" prevail in a post WWII society. It is hard to quantify the contribution of these women to the civil rights movement but I think it is safe to say that we were fortunate as a nation to have these great crusaders, as well as many other notable figures, to educate us and force us to see change in the United States.
As historians bring to light groups long excluded, or condescendingly treated only as victim, they are recovering the life stories of more and more “unknowns” and coming up with more and more unsung heroes and heroines.
“There was much more to women’s work during World War Two than make, do, and mend. Women built tanks, worked with rescue teams, and operated behind enemy lines” (Carol Harris). Have you ever thought that women could have such an important role during a war? In 1939 to 1945 for many women, World War II brought not only sacrifices, but also a new style of life including more jobs, opportunities and the development of new skills. They were considered as America’s “secret weapon” by the government. Women allowed getting over every challenge that was imposed by a devastating war. It is necessary to recognize that women during this period brought a legacy that produced major changes in social norms and work in America.
...roblems of integration. If the science world takes advantage of undiscovered female talent, science as a whole will benefit greatly. For example, the original group of ENIAC programmers consisted of 6 women. In 1946, these women helped to develop the first operating stored-program computer.6 If female talent such as this goes to waste because of social neglect, the science world will never know what possible discoveries that could have been made with the help of women. If Dr. Djerassi is accurate with his examples of discrimination, the science world should take note of these problems and attempt to solve them.
People have always been divided or classified into two simple categories, male or female. Many of them may have heard at some point in their lives the ongoing discussion of feminism, but not all have taken a deep look at what has been done and has happened for everybody to have reached such level that women like men are viewed in most and many ways equal. Amelia Earhart was a person that changed and proved the ability, responsibility, and equality of women. Amelia Earhart's expedition across the Atlantic Ocean affected many women's lives because it allowed her to keep doing what she had always desired, she became a role model for other women, and she changed society's perspective of women.
World War II was the catalyst that changed the opportunities available to women and eventually the way they were regarded as a viable workforce. Suddenly women throughout the United States were pushing themselves to their limits to support the war effort. Women were fulfilling jobs and responsibilities that many previously believed to be impossible for their gender. Opportunities were opened in steel plants, ammunition factories, and even the United States military. As the war progressed the number of male workers declined dramatically. Society had no choice but to turn to the mothers, sisters, and daughters of our nation for help. The results for each woman varied but the nation was to be forever changed in how it looked at women in the work force. Although employment opportunities after the war were significantly reduced for women due to the return of the male soldiers, the effort and abilities women displayed during these difficult times had far reaching effects. Women's actions in small communities like the Hunter Chemical Plant in Huntsville, Alabama and Bridge and Steel Industrial Plant in Mt Vernon, Ohio changed the way men viewed their physical abilities. The creation of the Women's Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) resulted in changing the way the government viewed women as a viable asset and led the way for the women who serve proudly in today's military. In this paper I will address the change in the attitudes of society and the way small communities and the government itself viewed the physical capabilities of women.
"The Image and Reality of Women Who Worked During World War II." National Parks Service.
Rosalind Franklin: Seeing a woman as a scientist during this time is somewhat rare, so the fact that she has taken up this profession show that she is persistent, dedicated, and smart. The only problem is that she is undervalued because of her gender. She is also very quiet and reserved because she’s in a different country.
Although many women have achieved a college education, many will nit be able to share the same values as there male peers. Many women will have certain messages conveyed about them which will be used to profile them in their selective fields. These factors will contribute to the controversial issues facing women today in the workplace. The gender roles that have challenge women today will not allow the equal status of women who are trying to advance there job careers. Only with enough support from activist groups of women’s rights will break these stereotypes and, allow women to have a fair and equal role in society.
Women have been treated unfairly and discriminated in the workforce for too long. The discrimination that these women face is unjust and unwarranted. It is sad that as a society in the twenty-first century we are still trying to combat these issues. In Developing Women Leaders was published in The Industrial-Organizational Psychologist July 1, 2012 it discusses possible solutions and how stigmas and stereotypes are starting to change. Women should not have to face discrimination in the workplace as a society there should be an equal standard for all individuals no matter the race or gender.
When Martha Ballard died, she was definitely missed and even though her diary sat in the back stacks of a library for a very long time because authors thought it was useless, her story was told and it was a good one at that. It wouldn?t be a surprise to me if her story has inspired women and I know it has definitely educated people about women?s lives at this time. It?s just a shame that more women?s stories from this time will never be told. I?ve learned from Martha Ballard?s story that she must have been a very good, decent, and smart woman and I would have loved to have met her. She is a good example of what some women were like back then and it?s good to see that not all of them were powerless housewives as some people think and how I, myself, thought before I saw this movie. I saw her struggle and her get through the hard times. The things she had to live through throughout her life were astonishing and I?m really glad I got to see this woman?s work. I realized how easy we have it now and how women like Martha paved the way for us and we have to appreciate them for what they?ve done.
There were many women who fought for female equality, and many who didn’t care, but eventually the feminists won the vote. Women today are still fighting for equality in the home, in the workplace, and in society as a whole, which seems like it may take centuries of more slow progress to achieve.
Sorenson, Aja. “The Image and Reality of Women who Worked During World War II”. Www.nps.gov. National Park Service. Web. 1 November 2012.
...vancement into executive and upper management positions. Women must continue to take a stand for their own independence and equality. With the support of governmental and private support systems, women are being heard. With the impact of technology on society, our future will prove to be similar to that which has been documented throughout history. "Women in the workplace" will continue to exhale.
...rules of conduct’ that spelled success for men. Now a second wave of women is making its way into top management, not by adopting the style and habits that have proved successful for men but by drawing on the skills and attitudes they developed from their shared experience as women.” Let it be known that this gradual process of more and more women exercising their own freedoms have led to the independent women that lead America today.