Media Request

The unique and often overlooked stories of African American women who did extraordinary things to help the Allies during World War II are revealed in this important examination. Helping lay the foundation for the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s as they fought discrimination at home and abroad, a range of remarkable women—war workers, political activists, military women, volunteers, and entertainers—are profiled, offering a unique perspective on the Second World War. The book includes the accomplishments of heralded names, such as Mary McLeod Bethune and Lena Horne as well as those of lesser-known heroes, including Hazel Dixon Payne, the only woman to serve on the remote Alaska-Canadian Highway; Deverne Calloway, a Red Cross worker who led a protest at an army base in India; and Betty Murphy Phillips, the only black female overseas war correspondent. With source notes and a bibliography for further exploration, this work stands as a valuable piece of history and encourages young readers to look within their communities for the stories of the women of the "greatest generation" and to recover them before it is too late.