N.C. A&T to Host Shetterly, New York Times Best-selling Author of “Hidden Figures"

EAST GREENSBORO (March 29, 2022) - The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences (CAHSS) at North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University will virtually host New York Times best-selling author Margot Lee Shetterly on Thursday, March 31, for a discussion of her thought-provoking book, “Hidden Figures,” which inspired the No. 1 American movie by the same name.

Shetterly will hold a virtual masterclass with N.C. A&T students in the afternoon, followed by a panel discussion at 6 p.m. The panel discussion, which is open to the public, will be moderated by actress Angela Ray. Click on the following link to register for the panel discussion: https://ncatcahssspeakers.com

Shetterly’s virtually appearance at A&T comes as March closes out Women’s History Month. Shetterly’s best-selling book officially titled “Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race” and the movie adaptation document the true story of the Black women mathematicians at NASA who helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space. In her talk at A&T, Shetterly will celebrate these unsung heroes, teasing out issues of race, gender, science and innovation against the backdrop of WWII and the Civil Rights Era.

“We are delighted to host Ms. Shetterly and have her lead a conversation around the contributions of African American women in the field of math. Learning how she captured the story of these ‘hidden figures’ through research and interviews will help our students and the public understand the historical and outstanding groundwork these women laid,” said Frances Ward-Johnson, Ph.D., CAHSS dean.

The book became a top book of 2016 for both TIME and Publisher’s Weekly, a USA Today bestseller, and a No. 1 (instant) New York Times bestseller. The film adaptation—which became a No. 1 movie in America—stars Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst and Kevin Costner. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay, and Octavia Spencer was nominated for Best Supporting Actress. 

A writer, researcher and entrepreneur, Shetterly is also the founder of the Human Computer Project, a digital archive telling the stories all of NASA’s “Human Computers,” women from all backgrounds whose work tipped the balance in favor of the United States in WWII, the Cold War and the Space Race.

Thursday’s event marks CAHSS’s 2nd Annual STEAM Lecture Series, which highlights topics that integrate arts, humanities and social sciences with STEM.