Hidden Figures by Margot Lee Shetterly is the little-known story of a group of highly skilled African-American women who played a pivotal role in taking America to the forefront of the global space race.

Their story is not only remarkable for breaking colour and gender barriers, but more so because almost nothing has been written about this significant piece of history.

It is generally acknowledged that World War II was a social catalyst that propelled unprecedented numbers of American women into the workforce because of labour shortages.

In the 1940s, several black mathematicians worked at the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory, a prestigious research centre in America’s NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) programme. They were like human computers, using pencils, slide rules and basic adding machines to crunch numbers and solve problems.

Shetterly’s father worked at the Langley research centre in the state of Virginia and she grew up hearing stories about the mathematicians. It wasn’t until 2010 that a conversation with her father on his favourite topic sparked old memories and a new curiosity that led to six years of research and writing that culminated in this book.

Hidden Figures is about the careers and personal lives of four women — Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson, Katherine Johnson and Christine Darden, mathematics graduates who were expected to take up jobs as teachers in black schools.

They, and other women of the all-black West Computing group grew up during the time when America was segregated and job opportunities for African-Americans were limited, more so for women.

When Langley started accepting minority women, it represented a huge career leap for black professionals as well as a chance to elevate the lot of future generations.

Once inside the research centre, the black women fought a subtle but ferocious battle to prove themselves to sceptical bosses and white colleagues who had conservative views about women and non-whites in the workplace.

Even in the more liberal state of Virginia, black and white people lived in different neighbourhoods, went to different churches and holidayed at segregated beaches.

Inside the multiracial Langley, black employees sat in the coloured section of the staff cafeteria and had to use the bathrooms for coloured girls.

The Langley women toiled through endless numbers and paperwork until they were bleary-eyed, formulating mathematical answers to the aeronautical puzzles that propelled aircraft technology.

Johnson’s method of navigating using the stars was critical in 1970 when the Apollo 13 spacecraft’s computer failed on its return flight.

Shetterly deftly incorporates the broader historical context during the waning years of World War II, the cold war, America’s anti-communist fervour and the civil rights movement. She uses terminology that was common during that era, such as “coloured”, “negro” and women being referred to as “girls.” The book is filled with engineering terms and the names of aerospace paraphernalia from half a century ago.

Aircraft enthusiasts will enjoy this book. History lovers will travel down memory lane. And the book appeals to people of any background for an overlooked story of merit and surmounting immense odds. Coming at a time when the US administration wants to decrease public funding of the sciences, this book demonstrates the importance of national support for scientific research.

This is the first novel by Shetterly, 48, who comes from a banking and media background.

She has won the Anisfield-Wolf literary award. Hidden Figures was made into a movie by the same name and received three nominations for Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Supporting Actress for Spencer at the 89th Academy Awards. The film earned four awards at the African-American Film Critics Association.