-
Mary Jackson: Every time we get a chance to get ahead they move the finish line. Every time.
-
Mary Jackson: We go from being our father's daughters, to our husband's wives to our babies' mothers...
-
Katherine Johnson: How can you be possibly ogling these white men?
Mary Jackson: It's equal rights. I have the right to see fine in every color
-
Al Harrison: Here at NASA we all pee the same color.
-
Mary Jackson: Oh, I'll tell you where to begin: Three Negro women chasing a white police officer down a highway in Hampton, Virginia in 1961. Ladies, that there is a God-ordained miracle!
-
Karl Zielinski: [to Mary] No shoe is worth your life.
-
Karl Zielinski: Mary, a person with an engineer's mind should be an engineer. You can't be a computer the rest of your life.
Mary Jackson: Mr. Zielinski, I'm a negro woman. I'm not gonna entertain the impossible.
Karl Zielinski: And I'm a Polish Jew whose parents died in a Nazi prison camp. Now I'm standing beneath a spaceship that's going to carry an astronaut to the stars. I think we can say we are living the impossible. Let me ask you, if you were a white male, would you wish to be an engineer?
Mary Jackson: I wouldn't have to. I'd already be one.
-
Colonel Jim Johnson: They let women handle that sort of...
Colonel Jim Johnson: [sees Katherine looking offended] That's not what I mean.
Katherine Johnson: What do you mean?
Colonel Jim Johnson: I'm just surprised at something so taxing.
Katherine Johnson: Oh Mr. Johnson, if I were you, I'd quit talking right now.
Colonel Jim Johnson: I don't mean no disrespect.
Katherine Johnson: I will have you know, I was the first Negro female student at West Virginia university graduate school. On any given day, I analyze the velometer levels for air displacement, friction and velocity. And compute over ten thousand calculations by cosine, square root and lately analytic geometry. By hand. There are twenty, bright, highly capable Negro women in the west computing group, and we're proud to be doing our part for the country. So yes, they let women do some things at NASA, Mr. Johnson. And it's not because we wear skirts. It's because we wear glasses. Have a good day.
-
Levi Jackson: Civil rights ain't always civil.
-
Vivian Mitchell: Despite what you may think, I have nothing against y'all.
Dorothy Vaughan: I know, I know you probably believe that.
-
Mary Jackson: I plan on being an engineer at NASA, but I can't do that without taking them classes at that all-white high school, and I can't change the color of my skin. So I have no choice, but to be the first, which I can't do without you, sir. Your honor, out of all the cases you gon hear today, which one is gon matter hundred years from now? Which one is gon make you the first?
-
Katherine Johnson: There are no colored bathrooms in this building, or any building outside the West Campus, which is half a mile away. Did you know that? I have to walk to Timbuktu just to relieve myself! And I can't use one of the handy bikes. Picture that, Mr. Harrisson. My uniform, skirt below the knees and my heels. And simple necklace pearls. Well, I don't own pearls. Lord knows you don't pay the colored enough to afford pearls! And I work like a dog day and night, living on coffee from a pot none of you want to touch! So, excuse me if I have to go to the restroom a few times a day.
-
Al Harrison: So, er, do you think we'll get to the moon?
Katherine Johnson: We're already there, sir.
-
John Glenn: Let's get the girl to check the numbers.
Al Harrison: The girl?
John Glenn: Yes, Sir.
Al Harrison: You mean Katherine?
John Glenn: Yes, Sir, the smart one. And if she says they're good, I'm ready to go.
-
Dorothy Vaughan: Separate and equal are two different things. Just 'cause it's the way, doesn't make it right, understand?
-
Dorothy Vaughan: If you act right - you are right. That's for certain.
-
Dorothy Vaughan: Thank you for the information, Mrs. Mitchell.
Vivian Mitchell: You're quite welcome, Mrs. Vaughan.
[respectfully calling her by her last name for the first time]
-
Al Harrison: We get to the peak together, or we don't get there at all.
-
Dorothy Vaughan: [Repeated line to the IBM computer as she gets it to work] Atta girl.
-
White Cop: Damn Russians are watching us right now. Sputniks.
-
Colonel Jim Johnson: I'm sorry, Katherine.
Katherine Johnson: For what, Jim?
Colonel Jim Johnson: Underestimating you, and any other woman like you, though I don't imagine there's many.
Katherine Johnson: That's good practice, right there.
-
Al Harrison: Within these walls, who... who makes the rules?
Katherine Johnson: You, sir. You are the boss. You just have to act like one, sir.
-
Mary Jackson: What the devil are you doing? Are you taking a break?
-
Night School Professor: Well, the curriculum is not designed for teaching a woman.
Mary Jackson: I imagine it's the same as teaching a man.
-
Dorothy Vaughan: Now don't get me wrong, any upward movement is movement for us all.
-
Katherine Johnson: Button it up Mary. No one wants to go to jail behind your mouth.
-
Dorothy Vaughan: [At a church picnic, speaking about Colonel Jim Johnson while fixing plates at the food table] I hear he's planning on staying in the area.
Katherine Johnson: Well... Well, that's good for him.
Mary Jackson: [Looking at Colonel Johnson, who is talking with a group of men] Katherine, go find your way over there. That Colonel Jim is a tall glass of water.
Dorothy Vaughan: That he is. Tall, strong, commanding.
Katherine Johnson: Oh...
Mary Jackson: And I bet he's like that day and night.
Katherine Johnson: Mary, it's Sunday.
[Mary scoffs]
Katherine Johnson: Please have some shame.
Mary Jackson: I will not.
Dorothy Vaughan: Hmm, I think he's smiling over here.
Mary Jackson: At you.
Katherine Johnson: [Katherine turns, sees the colonel watching her, smiles, and turns back to the table] Well, I'm not smiling back.
Dorothy Vaughan: Yes, you are.
Mary Jackson: Oh, child. You are all teeth right now.
Katherine Johnson: I am not.
Mary Jackson: [Waving at the colonel to come over while mouthing] Come over here and say hi.
Dorothy Vaughan: [Colonel Johnson leaves the men, walking toward the ladies] He's coming over.
Katherine Johnson: Now why would he be doing that?
Dorothy Vaughan: 'Cause Mary's been waving at him.
Katherine Johnson: No! Ladies I am not ready.
Mary Jackson: It's too late. Fix your hair.
Dorothy Vaughan: [Colonel Johnson joins the ladies, Katherine turns around] Hello, Colonel. I'm Dorothy Vaughn. That's Mary Jackson. I believe you met her husband Levi.
Colonel Jim Johnson: Yes ma'am. Good to meet y'all.
Dorothy Vaughan: And Mrs. Katherine Goble.
Mary Jackson: She's not married. She's a widow, with three beautiful little girls. So well behaved. Angels on earth is what we like to call them. Dorothy, slice of pie?
Dorothy Vaughan: I'd love one. Excuse me.
[Dorothy and Mary begin to walk away]
Katherine Johnson: You already have a slice of pie, Doroth-...
Dorothy Vaughan: Uh-huh.
Hidden Figures Quotes
Extended Reading
