This book tells the stories of 22 Black Nova Scotians - 15 of them women - who were at least 70 years old in 1982. The three to five page stories trace family histories and describe experiences of living, working and raising children. The stories are adapted from interviews and each contains quotes from the person interviewed.

This book provides a refreshing slice of the living history of Black Nova Scotian women. This is not commonly found - especially in such an easy to read format. Black women in the province will find their roots in this book. White women will see a part of their history they have not been taught in school. Women outside Nova Scotia will understand that in this province the experience of the Black community is not an immigrant experience. The community has lived and struggled in Nova Scotia for over 300 years.

The historical background contained in the introductory section puts in context the words of a woman such as Amelia Brown who went to school in East Preston:

"I was only in grade 4 when I left. I had to be home, on the farm, helping out around home. I looked after the house and then I got to such an age I went out to service. Service is housework, cleaning around Halifax and Dartmouth. I worked for white people. I made three or four dollars a day. Then I had to share it with my parents."

Women may find this book inspires them to write their own histories, or the stories of their older relatives or friends. It can be used in projects such as map work or family trees. It will be of interest to women who are curious about biographies, the older generations or Nova Scotia history.

A review by Meredith Hutchings, Ida Mae Robert and Pierre Taschereau, Halifax, N.S.