From Booklist
The signed entries are alphabetically arranged and vary in length from several paragraphs to eight pages. The articles discuss the woman's family, education, career background, and the significance of her achievements. An annotated bibliography follows each entry.
Some of the women are little known, and information about them has come from oral histories, interviews, and manuscripts. The strength of this dictionary lies in its coverage of these lesser-known people. For example, there are entries for religious leader Lillian Coffey, social worker and physician Catharine Lealtad, and Sarah Walker, the first black woman millionaire. Historical figures are included, but the emphasis is on the achievements of twentieth-century women. The majority of the women are associated with civil rights activities, organizations (e.g., NAACP), education, the arts, and politics, but other areas such as sports, aviation, and union leadership are covered. All entries are organized by career category in a useful index. There is also a general index and an insert of black-and-white photographs.
Even though approximately 200 of the women are also found in Notable Black American Women [RBB Ap 15 92], libraries building an African American or women's studies collection may want to consider this book as a supplement. It is also an alternative purchase for libraries that couldn't afford the two-volume Black Women in America: An Historical Encyclopedia [RBB My 1 93], which provides biographies of 804 women.
