janitors, cafeteria uighurs workers, assistants, groundskeepers. opening the door to a new profession, that was something new. he proceeded with discretion. no big announcement in the daily press, no fanfare, but he also proceeded with direction. nothing to herald the arrival of women to the laboratory, but nothing to derail the arrival either. maybe melvin butler was a progressive first time in space or maybe he was just carrying out his duty. state law and virginia customs kept him from truly progressive action. perhaps the promise of a segregated office is just the cover he needed to get the black women in the door. the trojan horse of segregation opening the door. whatever his personal feelings were on race, one thing is clear , he was a langley man through and through. loyal to the laboratory, to his mission, to its worldview and to its charge during the war. by nature and by mandate, he and the rest of the naca were all about practical solutions. so too was philip randolph heard the activism, unrelenting pressure and organizing skills laid th