The acclaimed movie Hidden Figures celebrates African-American women who were "human computers." It is the story of their struggle to be acknowledged for their role in sending men into Space during a time of intense competition with the Soviet Union. Before it hit the box office though the story was published as a book based on extensive research. Hidden Figures can and should be retrieved from all corners of the history of science and technology. This presentation will focus on the why and the how of the work of recapturing overlooked contributions and contributors in the history of the chemical sciences. We will investigate little-known figures and what we can learn from them about how the development of science is usually conveyed. This presentation will also consider how historical accounts may end up defining what science is and how scientific research works, especially in the teaching environment. We will examine the ways these stories can be found and recovered, paying particular attention to how those stories are narrated, and how historical material is located and used when there is little available documentation. The talk will alternate between short presentations of cases, and active engagement from the audience.

Hidden figures in the history of chemical sciences: Why write their history and how?

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ACS Spring 2023

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