Review by Choice Review
With this volume, Smith adds to her list of credits (e.g., Images of Blacks in American Culture, CH, Dec'88) another fine reference source on African Americans. It contains 500 signed biographies of historical and contemporary women from all walks of life. The scope of the book makes omission inevitable, but the entries include the essential few and expand on that number with important figures often hard to locate elsewhere. The well-written entries by qualified contributors include bibliographies, and many give the location of pertinent archival collections. Judicious use of quotations, personal interviews, and photographs adds dimension to various entries. Unfortunately, the indexes are flawed. The entries are arranged by each woman's best-known surname, hyphenated or not; but since the subject index does not cross-reference among married, maiden, and professional names, some confusion is likely. In the list of contents by area of endeavor, overlapping categories such as "writer" and "author" do not include the same names, and no cross-referencing between such areas exists. Despite these minor flaws, the volume is recommended for all libraries, and is essential for collections in African American or women's studies.-M. F. Jones, Muskingum College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Booklist Review
Highlighting the experiences and achievements of black women from colonial times to the present, this book contains biographical sketches of 500 women who achieved in all areas of endeavor. The selection of women to be included was done by Smith, the librarian of Fisk University, and an advisory board. Their aim was for subjects to be widely representative geographically, historically, and professionally. They have largely succeeded here--the only category of women that gets limited coverage is athletes. Businesswomen, creative artists, professionals, political activists, and leaders from every field are included. After a standard table of contents, there is a second contents list that arranges the subjects by area of endeavor, from Abolitionist to Writer. The signed entries are arranged alphabetically by name. Each one- to six-page biographical sketch points out major influences on the individual as well as her achievements. Bibliographies listing six to twelve items appear with each entry, along with a note giving the location of the subject's papers. There are black-and-white portraits for about one-quarter of the entries. The index is largely one of proper names. Such famous women as Sojourner Truth, Jessye Norman, Maya Angelou, Josephine Baker, Whoopi Goldberg, and Rosa Parks appear here. But this book's real contribution is biographical information on women who aren't so well known; for instance, nineteenth-century concert singer Flora Batson, educator and civil rights activist Nannie Helen Burroughs, biologist Jewell Plummer Cobb, and journalist Alice Dunnigan. Inevitably, there is some overlap between the women found here and in Gale's new series, Contemporary Black Biography [RBB Ap 1 92]. Sharon Pratt Dixon and Gwendolyn Brooks, for instance, are profiled in both books. However, Notable Black American Women is written on a more scholarly level and has more detailed bibliographies and a smaller typeface. It also devotes less coverage to contemporary popular entertainers who might be of interest to teens. Duplication is minimal between Notable Black American Women and Notable American Women and its supplement, The Modern Period. This compilation will fill a void in reference collections. As a summary of the contributions of black women, Notable Black American Women will be an important addition to academic and public libraries. At this reasonable price for such a hefty volume, high school libraries should consider it, too. (Reviewed Apr. 15, 1992)
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Library Journal Review
A representative rather than a comprehensive work, this biographical encyclopedia includes essays on 500 African American women born between 1730 and 1958. Selections illustrate diverse arenas of achievement for black American women: business, civil rights, the arts, education, scholarship, and government. Stories of the most famous African American women--Harriet Tubman, Mary McLeod Bethune--appear alongside those of modern black women in their prime: historian Nell Painter, writer Alice Walker. Entries vary widely in both length and style. About a third include photographs and virtually all include references; many note collections of manuscripts. Although this volume would have benefited from more rigorous editing, many of the essays are beautifully written. Reference librarians will welcome this highly accessible tool, an essential addition to every reference collection. This would also be a nice addition to YA collections; it's perfect for high school students who need a place to start for writing term papers.-- Cynthia Harrison, Federal Judicial Ctr., Washington, D.C. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by School Library Journal Review
YA-- A valuable resource that chronicles the accomplishments of 500 African-American women who achieved success in spite of racial and gender discrimination. Smith includes activists, educators, writers, religious leaders, community leaders, doctors, dancers, government officials, and musicians. The detailed index and the introductory list by profession provide additional options for research. (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Choice Review
Review by Booklist Review
Review by Library Journal Review
Review by School Library Journal Review
