Hidden Figures: The Men

In 2016 The world of movie watchers became excited when the epic Movie Hidden Figures made its debut.  The heretofore unsung Black women who figured prominently in the success of NASA Aerospace projects and journeys into outer space rekindled interest in the historic American endeavors in the space race under President John F. Kennedy’s direction.

Ironically Taraji Henson playing the part of Katherine Johnson, like this writer is a relative of Matthew Alexander Henson who with Admiral Perry April 06, 1909 were the first recorded human beings to set foot on the North Pole. Henson after much dispute has been more recently recognized as the person who actually planted the American flag in position.  This event was as momentous as the landing on the moon in its time.

Of lesser known history is the participation of the Black men who played a prominent role in the historic Apollo 11 moon landing. Shelby B. Jacobs (April 27, 1935 – September 5, 2022) was a Black American engineer little known for adapting the camera technology that shot the iconic film of the separation between the first and second stages of the Saturn V rocket.  Our father Howard T. Greene, a project manager, was on the team under the direction of Shelby Jacobs.   Greene Until his death on September 11, 2018, along with Shelby Jacobs were the last two surviving members of this publicly unknown team that included several Black men. The Saturn V was part of the design system to land American astronauts safely on the moon and to return them to earth.

On July 20, 1969 an estimated 650 million people watched, and heard Astronaut Neil Armstrong proclaim,”That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.” as he set foot on the moon. In later years Shelby Jacobs spent his retirement speaking and seeking public attention to the part that these Black men played in this historic event. Shelby in recent years gained Congressional recognition, and attended with members of the Greene family and others an exhibit dedicated to this Historic participation in the Apollo 11 Moon landing in the Downey Columbia Memorial Space Center.  

In recent times public opinions have raised if the reports of the moon landing actually occurred.  For Shelby Jacobs, my father who retired after 52 years and the other project participants, they can only testify to the long hours and time spent at NASA and the space race.   

Movie documentarians have recently become interested in this contribution of “Hidden Figures,” Black men in NASA Space history.  Before the recent deaths of both Shelby Jacobs and Howard T. Greene interviews took place to document their participation in the Nasa Space Program. Our families are hoping for a wider audience of the public to learn about these Hidden Figures Black Men.