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The Whole Staircase: Films Celebrating 400 Years of African American History & Culture

Hidden Figures  (2016)

Science professor, Jill Leggett, selected Hidden Figures for inclusion in The Whole Staircase Film Series. 

Professor Leggett received her Master's degree from the University of South Florida and joined the SJR State faculty in 2015.

Screening Dates and Locations

Screening Presented by Professor Jill Leggett 

Date & Time: October 9, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. 

Location: Palatka Campus, Building A, Valhalla Hall

All are welcome to this free event!

If you need an interpreter, please contact Dr. Will by September 26, 2019


Screening Presented by Dr. Aaron Knowles and Professor Jill Leggett  

Date & Time: October 16, 2019 at 5:00 p.m.  

Location: Orange Park Campus Library, room L-111

All are welcome to this free event!

If you need an interpreter, please contact Dr. Will by October 2, 2019


Screening Presented by Professor Jill Leggett  with by Professor James McCaughern-Carucci 

Date & Time: October 23, 2019 at 5:00 p.m. October 16 at OPC and October 23 at SAC. 

Location: St. Augustine Campus Library, room L-112

All are welcome to this free event!

If you need an interpreter, please contact Dr. Will by October 9, 2019

Film Information - Hidden Figures

"As the United States raced against Russia to put a man in space, NASA found untapped talent in a group of African-American female mathematicians that served as the brains behind one of the greatest operations in U.S. history. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, and Katherine Johnson crossed all gender, race, and professional lines while their brilliance and desire to dream big, beyond anything ever accomplished before by the human race, firmly cemented them in U.S. history as true American heroes." - vendor's summary

Run time: 127 minutes

This film is rated PG for thematic elements and some language.

Closed captioning available.

Resources for Further Exploration - Hidden Figures

Online Resources

The True Story of “Hidden Figures,” the Forgotten Women Who Helped Win the Space Race from Smithsonian 

The Story of NASA’s Real “Hidden Figures” from Scientific American

'Hidden Figures': 'The Right Stuff' vs. Real Stuff in New Film About NASA History from space.com

How 'Hidden Figures' Came Together: Interview with Author Margot Shetterly from space.com

NASA honors 'hidden figures' who helped John Glenn orbit the Earth from ABC News

From Hidden Figures to Modern Figures website made by NASA after the film's release

Resources at the SJR State Library

Books may be checked out by community patrons as well as SJR State students faculty and staff. If a title is located at another campus, the book may be sent to another campus upon request.

Please note: eBooks are only accessible to currently registered SJR State students, faculty, and staff via MySJRstate due to licensing restrictions. DVDs may only be checked-out to current SJR State students, faculty, or staff. 

Celebration • Education • Reflection

H.R.1242/Public Law 115-102, the 400 Years of African American History Commission Act, establishes 2019 as a year of "commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the arrival of Africans in the English colonies, at Point Comfort, Virginia, in 1619."  The commemoration is intended “to recognize and highlight the resilience and contributions of African-Americans since 1619; to acknowledge the impact that slavery and laws that enforced racial discrimination had on the United States; and to educate the public about the arrival of Africans in the United States; and the contributions of African-Americans to the United States.” In recognition of this commemoration and with the Act serving as a guide, the SJR State Library has organized a year-long series of events that will provide educational experiences and resources to students and the community that celebrate the history and culture of African Americans.

Site created and maintained by Dr. Christina Will. Pages will be added and maintained throughout 2019.
Maintenance will cease at the end of 2019 but this site will remain accessible.