"Meet the women you don't know, behind the mission you do."
Hidden Figures - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Every time we get a chance to get ahead, they move the finish line. Every time.
— Mary Jackson
Context:
Mary says this in a moment of frustration to her friends after learning she needs additional, previously unmentioned qualifications to become an engineer—qualifications that require her to attend a segregated school she is legally barred from entering.
Meaning:
This quote encapsulates the immense frustration of living under a system of institutional racism and sexism, where the goalposts for success are constantly shifted for Black women, making advancement an ongoing, uphill battle.
There's no protocol for a man circling the earth either, sir.
— Katherine Johnson
Context:
Katherine delivers this sharp retort to her colleague, Paul Stafford, when he tries to exclude her from a Pentagon briefing by stating, "There is no protocol for women attending."
Meaning:
This is a powerful assertion of Katherine's right to be present in spaces where no woman, particularly a Black woman, has been before. It highlights the pioneering nature of their work at NASA, arguing that old rules and protocols do not apply when they are doing the unprecedented.
Here at NASA, we all pee the same color.
— Al Harrison
Context:
After Katherine tearfully explains why she is away from her desk for long periods, Harrison, in a dramatic and public display, takes a sledgehammer to the "Colored Ladies Room" sign and says this to the entire office, effectively desegregating the restrooms in their building.
Meaning:
This blunt statement signifies a pivotal moment where pragmatism and basic human decency override prejudice. It's a declaration that at NASA, what matters is the work and the shared mission, rendering the color of one's skin, and the segregation based upon it, absurd and irrelevant.
I have no choice but to be the first.
— Mary Jackson
Context:
Mary says this in her powerful appeal to the judge, arguing for her right to attend engineering classes at an all-white high school. She compares her situation to that of the astronauts, who are also preparing to be the first to touch space.
Meaning:
This line captures the essence of a trailblazer. Mary recognizes that to achieve her dream of becoming an engineer, she must do something that has never been done before. It speaks to her courage and her understanding that her personal ambition is also a historic act of breaking barriers for others.