Computer Decoder: Dorothy Vaughan, Computer Scientist

Illustrated by Katie Mazeika. When a mechanical computer arrives at the office, a human computer named Dorothy Vaughan either has to learn how to work with it or risk losing her job! Dorothy Vaughan loved things that made sense—especially numbers! In Computer Decoder: Dorothy Vaughan, Computer Scientist, elementary aged children follow Dorothy’s journey from math teacher to human computer and beyond, a journey made difficult because she was an African American woman working during a time of segregation. Dorothy worked incredibly hard to meet the challenges that greeted her at every turn and rose to the level of supervisor, the first black supervisor in the history of her company! But another challenge awaited when a mechanical computer threatened to replace the teams of human computers. How will Dorothy figure out this problem?