Chapter 6 - The Colored Computers

Dorothy Vaughan began her work at Langley with paperwork in the personnel department.
She took the United States Civil Service oath of office, swearing to defend the Constitution.
Her identification badge symbolized her official employee status and granted her access to Langley facilities.

Established in 1917, Langley's operations were initially based at Langley Field.
The laboratory expanded to the western side of the Hampton's back river due to growing operations.
The new location was described as a "land of desolation, a land of marshes and mosquitoes" by the Airscoop newsletter.
Dorothy took a shuttle bus to the West side, passing by a 16-foot high-speed wind tunnel.
Buildings were painted dark green for camouflage during wartime.

Dorothy arrived at the Warehouse Building, which housed the West Area Computing section.
The rooms were filled with desks, and the women worked using mechanical calculating machines.
The East Area Computing Section also existed, but the West Area Computing Section consisted entirely of black women.
The West Area Computing pool was set up for about 20 workers, who worked on complex engineering problems broken down into smaller parts.
Dorothy was welcomed by women who had graduated from black colleges, and many had teaching experience.
Many of the women belong to the same civic organizations, churches, and Greek letter organizations.
In 1940, only 2% of black women earned college degrees, and most became teachers.
The West Computers held jobs at the largest aeronautical research complex in the world.
Two white women supervised the West Computing section.
Engineers would bring assignments to the section head, who would divide the work among the women.
The NACA planned to double the size of Langley's West Area.

During lunch, the West Computers experienced segregated seating in the cafeteria.
A sign labeled "colored computers" designated their seating area.
The women found this racial insult offensive but tolerated it.
Mathematician Miriam Mann repeatedly stole the sign, but it was continually replaced.

Irene Morgan was arrested for refusing to move to the back of a Greyhound bus.
The NAACP defended Morgan, and the Supreme Court ruled that segregation on interstate buses was illegal in Morgan v. Virginia (1946).

The women at West Computing faced the dilemma of when to fight against discrimination.
Miriam Mann's husband feared she would be fired for removing the cafeteria sign.
Malcolm McLean, president of Hampton Institute, supported the war effort and advancement for African Americans.
Hampton Institute hosted a US naval training school and provided engineering and science programs.
McLean believed the war could provide an opportunity for minority groups and advocated for racial equality.
Langley engineers were generally friendly to their black colleagues but conflicted about race mixing.
The West Computers felt they needed to exceed expectations to succeed.
They supported each other and fought against negative stereotypes.
The "colored computers" sign eventually disappeared from the cafeteria.
The West Computers continued to sit together, enjoying their lunch without the humiliating sign.
Relationships formed in West Computing led to lifetime friendships.
Dorothy Vaughan, Miriam Mann, and other women of West Computing formed a sisterhood.