This ten-volume work contains interviews with 66 women of African descent who made significant contributions to American society in the early and mid-20th century. They were asked questions about family background, childhood, education and influences affecting their choice of career or activity.

Frontmatter -- Contents -- Introduction -- JESSIE ABBOTT -- CHRISTIA ADAIR -- FRANKIE V. ADAMS -- FRANKIE V. ADAMS -- FRANCES MARY ALBRIER -- INDEX -- Front matter 2 -- Contents -- Introduction -- MARGARET WALKER ALEXANDER -- SADIE ALEXANDER -- ELIZABETH BARKER -- ETTA MOTEN BARNETT -- NORMA BOYD -- MELNEA A. CASS -- MAY EDWARD CHINN -- INDEX -- Front matter 3 -- Contents -- Introduction -- JUANITA JEWEL CRAFT -- CLARA DICKSON -- ALICE DUNNIGAN -- ALFREDA DUSTER -- EVA B. DYKES -- MAE MASSIE EBERHARDT -- FLORENCE JACOBS EDMONDS -- LENA EDWARDS, M.D. -- DOROTHY BOULDING FEREBEE -- INDEX -- Front matter 4 -- Contents -- Introduction -- MINNIE L. FISHER -- KATHERINE STEWART FLIPPEST -- VIRGINIA CLARK G????? -- ZELMA GEORGE -- FRANCES O. GRANT -- INDEX -- Front matter 5 -- Contents -- Introduction -- ARDIE CLARK HALYARD -- DOROTHY I. HEIGHT -- BEULAH S. HESTER -- INDEX -- Front matter 6 -- Contents -- Introduction -- MAY EDWARDS HILL -- MARGARET HOLMES -- CLEMENTINE HUNTER -- ELLEN JACKSON -- FIDELIA JOHNSON -- LOIS MAILOU JONES -- SUSIE JONES -- INDEX -- Front matter 7 -- Contents -- Introduction -- VIRGINIA LACY JONES -- MAIDA SPRINGER KEMP -- ABNA AGGREY LANCASTER -- EUNICE LAURIE -- CATHERINE CARDOZO LEWIS -- INABEL BURNS LINDSAY -- ELIZA CHAMP MCCABE -- MIRIAM MATTHEWS -- INDEX -- Front matter -- Contents -- Introduction -- LUCY MILLER MITCHELL -- AUDLEY (QUEEN MOTHER) MOORE -- ANNIE M. NIPSON -- ROSA PARKS -- THE RUCKER SISTERS. Lucy Rucker Aiken. Neddie Rucker Harper. Hazel Rucker -- ESTHER MAE SCOTT -- JULIA HAMILTON SMITH -- INDEX -- Front matter 9 -- Contents -- Introduction -- MURIEL S. SNOWDEN -- OLIVIA PEARL STOKES -- ANN TANNEYHILL -- RUTH JANETTA TEMPLE -- CONSTANCE ALLEN THOMAS -- ERA BELL THOMPSON -- MARY C. THOMPSON, D.D.S. -- INDEX -- Front matter 10 -- Contents -- Introduction -- BAZOLINE USHER -- CHARLESZETTA WADDLES -- DOROTHY WEST -- ADDIE LUCK WILLIAMS -- FRANCES H. WILLIAMS -- OZELINE WISE -- DEBORAH WOLFE -- ARLINE J. YARBROUGH -- INDEX -- Front matter 11 -- Contents -- Preface -- ACKNOWLEDGMENTS -- NOTE ON THE GUIDE -- LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS -- JESSIE HARRIET (SCOTT) ABBOTT -- CHRISTIA V. (DANIELS) ADAIR -- FRANKIE V. ADAMS -- KATHLEEN (REDDING) ADAMS -- FRANCES MARY (REDGREY) ALBRIER -- MARGARET ABIGAIL (WALKER) ALEXANDER -- SADIE TANNER (MOSSELL) ALEXANDER -- ELIZABETH (CARDOZO) BARKER -- ETTA (MOTEN) ?ARNETT -- NORMA BOYD -- MELNEA AGNES (JONES) CASS -- MAY EDWARD CHINN. M.D. -- JUANITA JEWEL CRAFT -- CLARA (MILES) PETERS DICKSON -- ALICE (ALLISON) DUNNIGAN -- ALFREDA M. (?ARNETT) DUSTER -- EVA BEATRICE DYKES -- MAE (GRAVES) BROWN MASSIE EBERHARDT -- FLORENCE LEWIS (JACOBS) EDMONDS -- LENA FRANCES EDWARDS. M.D. -- DOROTHY (BOULDING) FEREBEE. a.D. -- MINNIE LUCINDA FISHER -- VIRGINIA (CLARK) GAYTON -- ZELMA (WATSON) GEORGE -- FRANCES OLIVIA GRANT -- ARDI? (CLARK) HALYARD -- DOROTHY IRENE HEIGHT -- BEULAH (SHE?ARD) HESTER -- MAY (EDWARDS) HILL -- MARGARET (CARDOZO) HOLMES -- CLEMENTINE (RUBEN) HUNTER -- ELLEN (SWEPSON) JACKSON -- FIDELIA O. (ADAMS) JOHNSON -- LOIS MAILOU JONES -- SUSIE PEARL (WILLIAMS) JONES -- VIRGINIA (LACY) JONES -- MAIDA SPRINGER KEMP -- ABNA (AGGREY) LANCASTER -- EUNICE (RIVERS) LAURIE -- CATHERINE (CARDOZO) LEWIS -- INABEL (BURNS) LINDSAY -- MIRIAM MATTHEWS -- ELIZA (CHAMP) GORDON McCABE -- LUCY (MILLER) MITCHELL -- AUDLEY MOORE -- ANNIE MAE NIPSON -- ROSA LOUISE (McCAULEY) PARKS -- THE RUCKER SISTERS: LUCY RUCKER AIKEN . NEDDIE RUCKER HARPER. HAZEL ROCKER -- ESTHER MAE SCOTT -- JULIA HAMILTON SMITH -- MURIEL (SUTHERLAND) SNOWDEN -- OLIVIA PEARL STOKES -- ANN TANNEYHILL -- ROTH JANETTA TEMPLE -- CONSTANCE ALLEN (PITTER) THOMAS -- ERA BELL THOMPSON -- MARY (CRUTCHFIELD) WRIGHT THOMPSON -- BAZOLINE ESTELLE USHER -- CHARLESZETTA (CAMPBELL) WADDLES -- DOROTHY WEST -- ADDIE (LUCK) WILLIAMS -- FRANCES H. WILLIAMS -- OZELINE (PEARSON) WISE -- DEBORAH (CANNON) PARTRIDGE WOLFE -- ARLINE (STEWARD) YARBROUGH -- Index