What to watch a movie to inspire you? Want to watch a movie that inspires conversation about real people who overcame huge obstacles? Spoiler alert: reading information may spoil endings.
My-All American (2015)
Hidden Figures (2017)
The three main characters of the movie where strong, black woman. All three were struggling to break the glass ceiling both for being woman and being black. Dorothy Vaughan saved not only her job but the black woman who were working with her manually calculating mathematical numbers. When NASA bought a IBM computer she quickly realized that her job would soon become extincted and she would need to know how to work a computer. She not only taught herself how to FORTRAN but all the black woman who worked with her doing mathematical computations. (white and black woman were segregated from both men and each other.)
During the movie Mary Jackson, who was not an engineer, helped top NASA engineers solve problems. It was implied that Mary Jackson should become an engineer. The problem was that the only place she could attend school to become an engineer did not allow blacks to attend. Mary Jackson took her case to court and won to become the first black engineer in America.
John Glenn was so impressed with Katherine Johnson that even after they started using the IBM computer to perform calculations, he personally asked that Johnson recheck the numbers. Katherine was moved into an area where she only worked with men and it appeared from the movie she was as smart or smarter than any man that she worked with but they would have her recheck data without giving her security clearance to do the job well. She proved herself so valuable that as a woman she was given security clearance and even with security clearance they still would not let her into the important meetings since she was a woman. She finally got into the meeting after stating why she should be allowed. She also was constantly being asked why she took half hour breaks during the day. She replied there was not any bathroom for colored woman anywhere near where she was working. If the movie is accurate she was instrumental in getting NASA to stop having segregated bathrooms and drinking fountains as when her boss saw how much time she wasted having to go so far to the restroom he removed all segregation signs from the buildings. According to the NASA website, Johnson graduated college at 18 and in 2015 President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a civilian can get.
Joan Clarke speaks about her engagement to Alan Turing.
My-All American (2015)
This story is about Freddie Steinmark, a 5 foot 9 inch football player who also got very good grades. On top of that he goes to church on a regular basis. Despite Steinmark winning the Gold Helmet Award he had not been offered one scholarship. His positive attitude throughout the entire movie was portrayed by actor Finn Wittrock, who was actually a couple inches taller than the real Steinmark. Thoughout the film Steinmark and his team mates run into many obstacles and his team player positive attitude is contagious throughout the movie. Later Steinmark ends up having to face the biggest obstacle of his life, cancer. He story inspired the current president of the time, Nixon, to pass the National Cancer Act of 1971.
Hidden Figures (2017)
The three main characters of the movie where strong, black woman. All three were struggling to break the glass ceiling both for being woman and being black. Dorothy Vaughan saved not only her job but the black woman who were working with her manually calculating mathematical numbers. When NASA bought a IBM computer she quickly realized that her job would soon become extincted and she would need to know how to work a computer. She not only taught herself how to FORTRAN but all the black woman who worked with her doing mathematical computations. (white and black woman were segregated from both men and each other.)
During the movie Mary Jackson, who was not an engineer, helped top NASA engineers solve problems. It was implied that Mary Jackson should become an engineer. The problem was that the only place she could attend school to become an engineer did not allow blacks to attend. Mary Jackson took her case to court and won to become the first black engineer in America.
John Glenn was so impressed with Katherine Johnson that even after they started using the IBM computer to perform calculations, he personally asked that Johnson recheck the numbers. Katherine was moved into an area where she only worked with men and it appeared from the movie she was as smart or smarter than any man that she worked with but they would have her recheck data without giving her security clearance to do the job well. She proved herself so valuable that as a woman she was given security clearance and even with security clearance they still would not let her into the important meetings since she was a woman. She finally got into the meeting after stating why she should be allowed. She also was constantly being asked why she took half hour breaks during the day. She replied there was not any bathroom for colored woman anywhere near where she was working. If the movie is accurate she was instrumental in getting NASA to stop having segregated bathrooms and drinking fountains as when her boss saw how much time she wasted having to go so far to the restroom he removed all segregation signs from the buildings. According to the NASA website, Johnson graduated college at 18 and in 2015 President Obama awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor a civilian can get.
The Imitation Game (2014) PG-13
Joan Clarke and Alan Turing Enigma Ciphers during World War II. When Joan Clarke arrives at Bletchley Park to help they first put her with all the woman to be a secretary. It was unheard of for a woman to be a cryptologist, even though Clarke had remarkable math skills. It is believed Clarke and Turing's work help end the war several years early than if they had not been able to deciphered the German codes so quickly. According to the BBC.COM News Turing helped save millions of lives and by millions it could be 20 million lives. This movie shows the very close relationship between Clarke and Turing and at one point they get engaged. Near the end of the movie the engagement is broken even though they are still very close as Turing reveals that he is gay and can't go through with the wedding. This part of the movie quickly becomes very sad and recommend that you watch with your child if you feel that he or she is old enough to understand what happens next. Homosexuality was a crime during this time where Turing lived and he was later arrested and no longer allowed to work at his security job. He kept his homosexuality a secret during the war but was later found out and reported. The impact on his life is profound and he can not handle it and later dies of cyanide poisoning. It took 61 years after his death before the queen pardoned him. He was a hero who was never acknowledged for saving so many peoples lives and for being the Father of Computer Science.
Joan Clarke speaks about her engagement to Alan Turing.
Enigma Machine- Like one of the first computers in the world!
The one invented by Turing was called the Bombe.!
Alan Turing- Pardon by Queen
