ABSTRACT
Black studies have focused its attention on black men; women's studies have focused on the problems, history, and roles of white women. What research there is on black women has concentrated primarily on the economic status of contemporary black women. There are two books on black women's history—When and Where I Enter, by Paula Giddings, and Labor of Love, Labor of Sorrow, by Jacqueline Jones. Both books challenge the traditional theses that have been advanced regarding black women and their work. The history of black women's employment depicted in both books differs from the "norm" provided by white women. A key difference between the two groups is that black women were more likely than white women to work for wages outside the home. Slavery offers a natural starting point for examining the nature of black women's work.
