Whitey's On the Moon

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Here's a passage from a review in "The Conversation" about Hidden Figures, the 2016 film that brought long-overdue recognition to the contributions of African American women to the early space program that culminated with the moon landing in 1969. The film "takes us back to a time when computers were people, women, and black":

"Hidden Figures is, certainly, inspirational. NASA is portrayed very positively too, with the initially hostile white staff learning to respect their co-workers. The “coloured bathroom” sign is smashed to the ground. One is almost left thinking that after 1961-2, when the key events of Hidden Figures take place, the racial politics of space and technology had been settled.

"This, of course, is far from the case. In 1970, in response to the Apollo landings, Gil Scott-Heron spoke of the contrast between two worlds in his song 'Whitey on the Moon':

"A rat done bit my sister Nell
With Whitey on the moon
Her face and arms began to swell
And Whitey’s on the moon.
You know, the man just upped my rent last night
Cause Whitey’s on the moon
No hot water, no toilets, no lights
But Whitey’s on the moon."

For obscure reasons, the second episode of the HBO series "Lovecraft Country" is entitled "Whitey's on the Moon" and includes this recitation of the poem by author Scott-Heron over a scene more supernatural than sensible. Comments on possible explanations for the poem/song's relevance in the context of the scene and series are encouraged.

The full review can be found at https://theconversation.com/hidden-figures-takes-us-back-to-a-time-when-computers-were-people-women-and-black-72303.