This book is another volume in Oxford's Student Companion to American History series, designed for users age 12 and up. The articles are arranged in alphabetical order by individuals, concepts, events, groups and organizations, issues, legal cases, publications, social groups, and professions. Cross-references guide the user to additional information. An appendix provides a time line of important dates and events. A second appendix lists museums devoted to women's history. The bibliography lists both print and electronic sources.Articles vary in length and are easy to read. Many articles are accompanied by a photograph. Entries for individuals have brief personal data (dates, education, accomplishments) at the beginning of the article and cross-references and bibliographic citations at the end. Although the author has included women from many different time periods and of varied ethnic, social, and religious backgrounds, some women have been overlooked. The preface notes that the emphasis is on "firsts," but although Sally Ride, the first American woman astronaut is covered, Mae Jemison, the first African American woman in space, and Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher in space, are not. Although such omissions are minor, they can be frustrating for the user. Overall, this is a helpful reference tool that will be useful to students needing information about American women and their contributions to U.S. history. REVWR
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Review
"This broad, alphabetically arranged guide covers social movements, organizations, key legal cases, trends, events, and people. The clearly written articles range from a few paragraphs to two pages.... Biographical sketches provide important dates and discuss the individuals' significance.... Useful to answer quick reference questions and as a starting point for research papers."--School Library Journal
"A must-purchase addition for any middle or high school library....State-of-the-art....Librarians, be sure to let your history teachers see this book!"--Library Materials Guide
"A significant contribution to the field of women's history in the United States....An interesting book to browse, it contains tidbits of information on many topics not often found in a single source."--Reference Review
"Contains highly readable biographies on women from many backgrounds....[An] excellent index....The entries are easy to read."--Feminist Collections
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