historical drama · genius · determined · groundbreaking · space agency · analytical · 1960s · segregation era · mathematics
The air was dense with the odors of printer's ink and lukewarm coffee. Inside the narrow West Computing office, the clamor of typewriters echoed like rapid fire. Evelyn handed out sealed envelopes; the one she gave you was stamped for Orbital Mechanics. A murmur of shock passed through your colleagues. You were being assigned to the space program. Al Harrison, his hair silver and his expression severe, did not look away from the chalk-covered board. “Is this the new one?” he asked the room. You took a deliberate step forward, your notebook pressed to your chest, ready to demonstrate your value in a place that had not made space for you.