1. The Essie Tucker and Helene Hale Collection
of BLACK WOMEN’S HISTORY
Burnett Public Library, 560 E. Hill St., Long Beach, CA
Tel. 562 – 570 – 1041
The Motto of the Collection is:
“Black Achievement is Inspiration for ALL Americans”
This is the only known special collection of biographies and history
in a public library about Black Women in America and around the
world. You can access a booklist of 160 of the books AND the
catalog descriptions of all 223 books in the Collection.
The VALUE of this information is that IF you know that these books
exist, you can look for them in your local library or bookstore.
You don’t have to live in Long Beach.
1. On the Long Beach Library’s website: www.lbpl.org
Enter “Tucker Hale Collection.” Catalog descriptions of all
223 books will pop up.
2. Email librarian Erica.Lansdown@lbpl.org to request that a
descriptive booklist of 160 books be emailed to you.
Please forward the booklist to other friends and contacts.
The “Careers” section profiles successful Black women in many
different careers.
For more information, call Burnett Library 562 - 570 – 1041.
Tues. – Thurs. 12-7 p.m. Fri & Sat. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
In 2012, Dr. Carter Woodson’s org. (he founded Black History
Month), has set the national theme as: BLACK WOMEN IN
AMERICAN CULTURE & HISTORY. This is a wonderful
opportunity to learn more about their astonishing achievements!

2. Essie Tucker and Helene Hale
ESSIE MCLENDON TUCKER was born (1904) in Washington, Georgia. She
graduated from Fisk University, married Dr. Marcus O. Tucker (a gifted and dedicated
physician) and moved to California in 1932. After her husband died in 1945, she earned
a teaching credential from UCLA and began a career teaching elementary school,
specializing in reading. Their son, Marcus, Jr. grew up to become a lawyer and a judge.
She was also a successful businesswoman in real estate and provided leadership in
many community organizations such as the NAACP, NCNW, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, &
Santa Monica YWCA (a charter member of the Board of Directors). She co-founded the
Santa Monica Fair Housing Council in 1966 and was elected national president of the
Women’s Auxiliary to the National Medical Assn. (1964-65).
For her work in providing housing for African students attending UCLA in the 1940s,
and ‘50s, she was invited to Nigeria’s independence celebrations in 1960 as a guest of the
government. Thereafter she traveled extensively in Africa--Ghana, Kenya, Tanzania, &
Ethiopia among others.
She was an indefatigable traveler to over 40 countries, a warm personality who always
sought out young people in any gathering, and vigorously promoted entrepreneurship
(“work for yourself”). Passionate about education, she supported several students
through college. Mrs. Tucker passed away in 1988. We miss her joie de vivre, sense of
humor, humanity, endless curiosity, and “can do” attitude.
HELENE HILYER HALE hails from Minneapolis, Minnesota. She earned a B.S. and
M.A. from the University of Minnesota (the third generation of her family to graduate from
this university). In 1938, no Minnesota school system at that time would hire African
American teachers no matter how qualified, so she went to teach at Tennessee A. and I.
State College (HBCU), met and married brilliant (and handsome) William J. Hale, Jr.
They taught in several colleges before moving to Kona, Island of Hawaii, after World
War II with their young daughter Indira.
In 1954 , her husband, (active in politics) launched her political career and she was
elected as the first woman to the Hawaii County Board of Supervisors. In 1962, she was
elected the first woman “mayor” in the state of Hawaii. In April 1963, she was featured
on the cover of Ebony Magazine. Active in community affairs, she started the first local
chapters of the Girl Scouts and 4-H Clubs for her daughter, and the League of Women
Voters, Business & Professional Women, & United Nations Organization among others.
In the late 1960s, she organized a foundation to build local support for the budding
astronomy industry on the “Big Island” of Hawaii. Today the world’s largest telescope is
there. In 1956, a son-- William Hale, III--was born.
Helene Hale recruited women to enter politics, fought for environmental safeguards
and open government, & encouraged cultural activities. She also opened a real estate
office and published a tourist guide. Known for her hearty laugh & energy, Helene Hale
loved to swim & travel. Her motto is “Where there’s a Will; there’s always a Way.”
In 2000 at 82 years young, she was elected to the Hawaii State House of
Representatives and retired undefeated at 88. Now 93, the new gymnasium at Pahoa
High School has been named the Helene H. Hale Gym in her honor.
In 1996, to celebrate our 30th wedding anniversary, we started this Collection in honor of
our pioneering mothers. Their achievements inspired us. In overcoming obstacles and
rising from defeats, they are models for us. Their love always sustained our efforts.
Marcus O. Tucker, Jr. and Indira Hale Tucker

3. You Are Invited to Visit Burnett Library’s
ESSIE TUCKER & HELENE HALE COLLECTION
of Black Women’s History
Opened in 1996, The Essie Tucker and Helene Hale Collection of Black Women’s
History contains over 200 books illuminating the contributions of Black women to
America. It is underwritten by the Tuckers to honor their pioneering mothers.
This is the ONLY known Collection of Black Women’s History in a public library. It is
located in the African American Resource Center at Burnett Public Library, 560 E. Hill
St., Long Beach, CA 90806. Tel. 562 - 570 - 1041. Open Tues.-Sat.
This booklist of 160 books is at the library in the “Resource Center Binder” or
email Librarian Erica.Lansdown@lbpl.org to request the booklist by email.
Access the catalog descriptions of all 223 books on the Long Beach Public Library website
www.lbpl.org. Enter “Tucker Hale Collection.”
Special Items
*AFRICAN AMERICANS IN HAWAII: A Search for Identity by Ayin Adam Ph.D
A Chapter & pictures of Helene Hale (also President Obama). *996.9 A211e
*THEY FOLLOWED THE TRADE WINDS: African Americans in Hawaii
ed. Miles Jackson. Includes a short bio of Helene Hale’s political career.
Her picture is on the back cover. *996.9 T421
Gems of the Collection (*library call number)
* A SHINING THREAD OF HOPE: The History of Black Women in America
by Darlene Clark Hine et al. This is the BEST one volume history of Black women around.
A “must read” book that is inspiring and energizing. *301.451-H662s
* BLACK WOMEN IN AMERICA: An Historical Encyclopedia edited by Darlene Clark Hine.
Compact 2 volume set profiles 604 women. *301.451-B627b1
An excellent reference for both home and school libraries.
Career areas
1. BEARING WITNESS: Contemporary Works by African American Women ARTISTS
Jontyle Theresa Robinson, curator. Art exhibit catalog features 25 artists. *709.22-B368
2. DOING IT FOR OURSELVES: Success Stories of African-American Women in BUSINESS
by Donna Ballard. Profiles 24 entrepreneurs. *338.642-B189d
3. SISTER CEO: The Black Woman’s Guide to Starting Your Own BUSINESS
by Cheryl Broussard. (includes profiles & tips from 19 business owners) *658.05-B876s
4. BLACK WOMEN FILM AND VIDEO ARTISTS ed. Jacqueline Bobo Essays cover the
films & videos of over 50 directors and producers. *791.9-B627S
5. RAISING HER VOICE: African-American Women JOURNALISTS Who Changed
History by Rodger Streitmatter. Historical overview of 11 journalists. *070.92-S915r
6. REBELS IN LAW: Voices in History of Black Women LAWYERS by J. Clay Smith.
Essays by 50 Black women lawyers on legal history & issues. *301.451-R291
7. STORMY WEATHER: The Music and Lives of A Century of JAZZWOMEN by
by Linda Dahl. Singers and musicians in 20th century jazz development. *781.57-D131S
8. AND SO I SING: African American Divas of OPERA and Concert by Rosalyn Story.
Sissieretta Jones and other opera singers became famous in the 1800s......long before
the 20th century’s international superstar, Marian Anderson. *780.91-S887
9. VIEWFINDERS: Black Women PHOTOGRAPHERS by Jeanne Moutoussamy-Ashe.
Profiles 33 professional photographers and their work. *770.91-M934v

4. Page 2 - The EssieTucker and Helene Hale Collection of Black Women’s History
Careers continued
10. AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN IN CONGRESS: Forming and Transforming History
by LaVerne McCain Gill. Profiles 15 political trailblazers *328.73-G475
11. DAUGHTERS OF THUNDER: Black Women PREACHERS and Their Sermons, 1850 –
1979 by Bettye Collier-Thomas. *251-C669d
12. SISTERS OF THE ACADEMY: Emergent Black Women SCHOLARS in Higher Education
ed. Reitumetse O. Mabokela. Profiles women professors in colleges. *378.0082
13. BLACK STARS: AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN SCIENTISTS AND INVENTORS
by Otha Richard Sullivan. Profiles 26 women plus vignettes of 14 more. *x608.9-S951s 15.
14. BLACK WOMEN SCIENTISTS IN THE UNITED STATES by Wini Warren.
Profiles over 100 scientists--past and present. *509.73-W294
15. AFRO-AMERICAN WOMEN WRITERS, 1746-1933: An Anthology and Critical Guide
ed. Ann Allen Shockley. Includes excerpts from 39 published writers. *810.9-A258
16. NO MOUNTAIN HIGH ENOUGH: Secrets of Successful African American Women
by Dorothy Ehrhart-Morrison. Profiles 32 high achievers in a variety of occupations,
including Doris Topsy-Elvord, first Black City of Long Beach Councilwoman and Vice Mayor.
*301.451-E33n
17. ACHIEVING CAREER SUCCESS ON YOUR TERMS: The Nia Guide For Black Women.
ed Sheryl Huggins. *371.425
Cultural Traditions
1. SISTER DAYS: 365 Inspired Moments in African American Women’s History
by Janus Adams. Each day’s story is an education in itself. *301.451-A214s
2. A COMMUNION OF THE SPIRITS: African American Quilters, Preservers, and
Their Stories by Roland Freeman. Fascinating cultural history and beautiful quilts are
illustrated in full color. *746.5-F855c
3. HIDDEN IN PLAIN VIEW: The Secret Story of Quilts and the Underground Railroad
by Jacqueline Tobin et al. Quilts with a coded message were signals on the Underground
Railroad. This is one family’s legacy of a secret code, wrapped in a poem. *973.715-T629h
4. CROWNS: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats by Michael Cunningham
A pictorial tribute to cultural tradition and personal flair. *391.4-C973c
5. QUEENS: Portraits of Black Women and Their Fabulous Hair by M. Cunningham. *391.5
6. SACRED BOND: Black Men and Their Mothers by Keith Michael Brown.
Wonderful pictures and personal tributes to mothers. *301.451-S123
7. WHAT KEEPS ME STANDING: Letters from Black Grandmothers on Peace, Hope,
and Inspiration by Dennis Kimbro. *170.89 W555
8. WORKINGS OF THE SPIRIT: The Poetics of Afro-American Women’s Writing
by Houston A. Baker. *810.9-B167w
9. HONEY HUSH: An Anthology of African American Women’s Humor ed. by
Daryl Cumber Dance. Includes poems, jokes, & short stories. *817-H772
10. LETTERS TO A YOUNG SISTER: Define Your Destiny by Hill Harper. Popular actor Hill
Harper has written a guide for young women *170.84 H294L.
11. Note: LETTERS TO A YOUNG BROTHER: MANifest Your Destiny also by Hill Harper.
*170.84 H294L Harper has reached out to young people searching for guidance.
12. DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST: The Making of An African American Woman’s Film
by Julie Dash. Behind the scenes story of making this visually beautiful film about a turn-
of-the-century Black family leaving its Southern roots. *791.4372 D229d
13. Note: The video DAUGHTERS OF THE DUST is available in the African-American Resource
Center at Burnett Library.
14. A WOMAN’S JOURNEY: The Life and Work of Artis Lane a catalog of the exhibition at
the California African American Museum. In 2009, Artis Lane’s bust of Abolitionist/Suffragist
Sojourner Truth was unveiled in Emancipation Hall of the U. S. Capitol Bldg. In her 80s,
Angeleno Artis Lane is still an active artist. *709.2 L 265w

5. Page 3 - The Essie Tucker and Helene Hale Collection of Black Women’s History
History
Africa
1. AMAZONS OF BLACK SPARTA: The Women Warriors of Dahomey by Stanley Alpern.
These amazing 19th century African women warriors (5000 strong) are the only
documented, professional all-female warrior group in history. *355.3-A456
2. WOMEN AND SLAVERY IN AFRICA ed. Claire C. Robertson. An historical overview which
begins with the startling sentence, “Most slaves in sub-Saharan Africa were women.” This is
an exploration of the many roles African women have played in this complex institution.
*305.567-W872
3. WOMEN WRITING AFRICA: The Eastern Region ed Amandina Lihamba et al. *820.9 W872e
Women’s public writing from 1711-2004 in Kenya, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, & Zambia.
4. WOMEN WRITING AFRICA: The Southern Region. ed. M. J. Daymond *820.9 W872s
120 selections from 6 countries covering period from 1842 to the present.
5. WOMEN WRITING AFRICA: West Africa and the Sahel ed. Esi Sutherland-Addy (on order)
America
* A SHINING THREAD OF HOPE: The History of Black Women in America by Darlene
Clark Hine et al. This is the BEST one volume history of Black women around. A “must
read” book that is inspiring and energizing. *301.451-H662s
* WHEN AND WHERE I ENTER: The Impact of Black Women on Race and Sex
in America by Paula Giddings. (a spirited history of Black Women) *301.451-G453wa
* BLACK WOMEN IN AMERICA: An Historical Encyclopedia edited by Darlene Clark Hine.
Compact 2 volume set profiles 604 women. *301.451-B627b1
* THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BLACK WOMEN IN AMERICA ed. Darlene Clark Hine et al.
Burnett is the ONLY public library in So. California to have circulating and reference sets
of this exceptional 11 volume encyclopedia. The volumes are organized by categories eg.,
literature, science, etc making it very easy to do research. *920.7-F142.
* THE STRENGTHS OF OUR MOTHERS: African and African American Women and
Families Essays and Speeches by Niara Sudarkasa. Dr. Sudarkasa argues that African
values of the “extended” family organization were adapted in America to help children
survive and thrive in an alien oppressive society. *306.85-S943s
* CELIA, A SLAVE by Melton A. McLaurin. In 1855, Celia was tried for murdering her “owner.”
Her defense was that even a slave should be able to defend herself against rape. This
was a sensational argument in the 1850s! *326-M161c
* WE ARE YOUR SISTERS: Black Women in the Nineteenth Century *301.451-S838w
ed. Dorothy Sterling. Documentary portrait of the 200,000 Free and 2 million enslaved
Black American women of the 1800s in their own words.
* THE ESSENCE OF LIBERTY: Free Black Women During the Slave Era by Wilma King.
How free Black Women before 1865 educated themselves, found jobs, and participated in
community affairs. *305.48896 K547e
* WE SPECIALIZE IN THE WHOLLY IMPOSSIBLE: A Reader in Black Women’s
History ed. Darlene Clark Hine et al. A broad range of essays on Black women’s history
in the Caribbean, Canada, and the U.S. *301.451-W361
* DOERS OF THE WORD: African American Women Speakers and Writers in the North
1830 - 1880 by Carla L. Peterson. *810.9-P485d
* AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN CONFRONT THE WEST 1600-2000 by Quintard Taylor
The legacy of Black women’s influence on Western history. *978.004-A258
* BLACK WOMEN IN THE OLD WEST by William Loren Katz. In the late 1800s,
Black women settled the West, ran businesses, and had a higher literacy rate (90%)
than even white women or men! A wonderful, pictorial book. *x978-K19blb
* AFRICAN AMERICAN WOMEN AND THE VOTE: 1837 - 1965 ed. Ann Gordon.
Black women successfully fought the Southerners within the suffrage movement who
wouldn’t support the 19th Amendment unless it excluded Black women. *301.451-A258

6. Page 4 - The Essie Tucker and Helene Hale Collection of Black Women’s History
History continued
* TOO HEAVY A LOAD: Black Women in Defense of Themselves 1894 - 1994
by Deborah G. White. *301.451-W583t
* MY FACE IS BLACK IS TRUE: Callie House and the Struggle for Ex-Slave Reparations
by Mary Frances Berry In 1898 this former slave started the first reparations movement
by targeting 68 million dollars in taxes on rebel cotton seized by the federal government and
demanding it as repayment for centuries of unpaid labor to ex-slaves. *323-H842b
* LIVING IN, LIVING OUT: African American Domestics and the Great Migration
by Elizabeth Clark-Lewis. 81 women who left the rural South for the urban North in pursuit
of better lives during the early to mid 1900s. Their struggles and triumphs in achieving
financial independence and social change. *331.4-C596L
* PAST IS PROLOGUE: The History of Alpha Kappa Alpha, 1908-1999
by Marjorie H. Parker. A history of the oldest Black sorority--founded on the campus of
Howard University. Both Helene Hale and Essie Tucker were members. *371.85-P242p
* IN SEARCH OF SISTERHOOD: Delta Sigma Theta and the Challenge of the
Black Sorority Movement by Paula Giddings. History of the second oldest Black
Sorority, now world-wide and 200,000 strong. *378.198-H453i
* TO SERVE MY COUNTRY, TO SERVE MY RACE: The Story of the Only African American
WACs Stationed Overseas During WW II by Brenda L. Moore.
The highly decorated 6888th Central Postal Directory Battalion. *940.5403-M821t
* FREEDOM’S DAUGHTERS: The Unsung Heroines of the Civil Rights Movement from
1830 to 1970 by Lynne Olson. *301.451-O52f
* SILVER RIGHTS by Constance Curry. In 1965 Mae Bertha & Matthew Carter’s 7 children
desegregated Mississippi schools in Sunflower County all by themselves. The family’s ordeal
and triumph. *370.1934-C976s
* THE MONTGOMERY BUS BOYCOTT AND THE WOMEN WHO STARTED IT
by Jo Ann Gibson Robinson. If it hadn’t been for these unsung women, you would not
have heard of Dr. Martin Luther King. *323.4-R662
* STORMING CAESARS PALACE: How Black Mothers Fought Their Own War on Poverty
by Annelise Orleck *362.5-O71s Welfare mothers in Las Vegas, Nevada organized
a movement to fight the cuts and craft a successful anti-poverty program.
* FIFTY BLACK WOMEN WHO CHANGED AMERICA by Amy Alexander *920.72-A374f
* BREAKING THROUGH - Lighting the Way ed. Sunny Nash. Extensive profiles of 12
African American Women trailblazers and high achievers in many career areas in Long Beach,
California. *305.48-N248b
* Note: The DVD BREAKING THROUGH - Lighting the way is available in the African American
Resource Center at Burnett Library.
* CREATING THEIR OWN IMAGE: The History of African-American Women Artists
by Lisa E. Farrington *709.22-F246c
32. UPLIFTING THE WOMEN AND THE RACE: The Educational Philosophies and Social
Activism of Anna Julia Cooper and Nannie Helen Burroughs by Karen A. Johnson
A truly impressive and important book about two of the foremost Black Women educators
of their time (late 19th and early-mid 20th centuries).
Nannie Helen Burroughs started a school, whose motto was “We Specialize in the Wholly
Impossible.” Julia Anna Cooper was the principal of the outstanding Dunbar High School in
Washington, D.C., whose students were so well educated that Harvard regularly recruited
Dunbar students. Later Cooper became the President of Xavier University in Washington
D.C.
Their educational and social activist philosophies differed significantly from many
prominent Black male educators such as DuBois and Booker Washington because Burroughs
and Cooper thought that Black women not only had important roles as mothers and
teachers but should participate in organizing the community as well. This also differed
significantly from the mainstream educational philosophies of White women as well.

7. This is a fascinating, “must read” book. *370.9 J677u
Page 5 - The Essie Tucker and Helene Hale Collection of Black Women’s History
Biographies
1. I DREAM A WORLD: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America
by Brian Lanker. A gorgeous, large-format book. *301.451-L289i
2. SISTERS OF THE SPIRIT: Three Black Women’s Autobiographies of the Nineteenth
Century by William Andrews. Evangelists: Jarena Lee, Mrs. Zilpha Elaw, & Julia Foote
*200.973-S623 Black women were the first to dare to speak in public meetings.
3. MARIAN ANDERSON: A Singer’s Journey by Allan Keiler. A world famous classical singer
from the 1930s - 1960s. *780.92-A548k
4. MY LORD, WHAT A MORNING: An Autobiography by Marian Anderson. *780.92-A548
5. I KNOW WHY THE CAGED BIRD SINGS by Maya Angelou. (Autobiography) *92-A584i
6. WOULDN’T TAKE NOTHING FOR MY JOURNEY NOW by Maya Angelou 818-A584h
7. ELLA BAKER: Freedom Bound by Joanne Grant. Civil rights organizer in the
1950s and ‘60s, Baker was a major force in starting SCLC and SNCC. *323.092-B167g
8. ELLA BAKER AND THE BLACK FREEDOM MOVEMENT by Barbara Ransby *323 B167r
Baker served as an intellectual mentor to a new generation of leaders in the 1960s-70s.
9. JOSEPHINE by Josephine Baker. A legend in both America & France. Jazz singer,
dancer, member of the French Resistance in WW II. After the war, she was given
the Croix de Guerre, France’s highest civilian honor for her Resistance work. *793.3-B167
10. DAISY BATES: The Long Shadow of Little Rock - A Memoir by Daisy Bates. *326B 329j
Newspaper publisher, state NAACP President. She guided the “Little Rock Nine” students
through the violent yet triumphant battle to integrate Central High School in Little Rock.
Note also: DAISY BATES: CIVIL RIGHTS CRUSADER FROM ARKANSAS by Grif Stockley
*323 B329s
11. WARRIORS DON’T CRY: A Searing Memoir of the Battle to Integrate Little Rock’s
Central High by Melba P. Beals. One of the “Little Rock Nine”---courageous
high school students who withstood a year of constant harassment by their
White classmates and teachers to challenge school segregation in 1957. *370.1934-B366w
12. MARY LEE BENDOLPH: Gee’s Bend Quilts and Beyond ed. Paul Arnett *746.46 M393
Bendolph became one of the more famous quilters from Gee’s Bend, Alabama.
13. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE: Building a Better World ed Audrey Thomas. Founder of
Bethune-Cookman College and the National Council of Negro Women and an advisor to
Pres. F.D. Roosevelt. A collection of her speeches, letters & etc. *870.92 B563m
14. MARY MCLEOD BETHUNE AND BLACK WOMEN’S POLITICAL ACTIVISM by Joyce A.
Hanson. Her life and work training Black women for leadership. *92 B56h
15. AT HER MAJESTY’S REQUEST: An African Princess in Victorian England
by Walter Dean Myers. Intriguing, true story of Queen Victoria’s ward--Sarah Bonetta.
Saved by an English captain, she was brought to England and raised by his family with
financial support and energetic guidance from Queen Victoria. *x92-B712m
16. SOARING ABOVE SETBACKS: The Autobiography of Janet Harmon Bragg,
African American Aviator. A pioneer pilot’s adventurous life. *629.13092-B813s
17. BRICKTOP by Bricktop. Celebrated jazz singer & owner of the famous Paris nightclub,
“Bricktop,” in the first half of the 20th Century. *780.92-B849b
18. GWENDOLYN BROOKS: Poetry and the Heroic Voice by D.H. Melhem. *811-B873zm
A major American poet and first Black woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for poetry (1950).
19. CHARLOTTE HAWKINS BROWN AND PALMER MEMORIAL INSTITUTE: What One
Young African American Woman Could Do by Charles Wadelington. She created an
outstanding, educational institution (1901) in Sedalia, No. Carolina. *371.1-W121c
20. The Lady, the Melody, and the Word: The Inspirational Story of the First Lady of
Gospel by Shirley Caesar. *782 254 C128L Singer and pastor of a church in Raleigh,N.C.
21. UNBOUGHT AND UNBOSSED by Shirley Chisholm. In 1968, she was elected as the first
Black U. S. Congresswoman (representing New York City) *92-C542u
22. THE GOOD FIGHT by Shirley Chisholm. Her 1972 campaign for president. *329.01-C542g
23. READY FROM WITHIN: Septima Clark and the Civil Rights Movement by Septima

8. Clark. One of the earliest activists in the 1950s-60s. *323.4092-C595r
Page 6 - The Essie Tucker and Helene Hale Collection of Black Women’s History
Biographies continued
24. DREAM THE BOLDEST DREAMS: And Other Lessons of Life by Johnnetta Cole.
A transformative president of Spellman College, a Black women’s college in Atlanta, Georgia
*170.44-C689d Dr. Cole later became the president of Bennett (Women’s) College.
25. CONVERSATIONS: Straight Talk with America’s Sister President by Johnnetta Cole
*301.451-C689c
26. QUEEN BESS: Daredevil Aviator by Doris L. Rich. The indomitable Bessie Coleman.
No one would teach a Black woman how to fly so she learned French, went to France
and became the first Black American woman certified as a pilot (1921). *629.13092-C692r
27. ANGELA DAVIS: An Autobiography by Angela Davis. An intellectual and one-time
revolutionary, Davis has become a respected scholar in women’s studies. *92-D2612
28. MY ONE GOOD NERVE by Ruby Dee. One of America’s premier actresses. *818-D311m
29. HAVING OUR SAY: The Delany Sisters’ First 100 Years by Sarah & Elizabeth
Delany. From the 1890s to the 1990s, the Delanys conquered challenges. *301.451-D337h
30. WOMAN OF COLOR, DAUGHTER OF PRIVILEGE: Amanda America Dickson
1849 - 1893 by Kent Anderson Leslie. Born into slavery on her father’s Georgia
plantation, he left her an estate worth $380,000 in 1885, making her the richest
woman in the South. She fought a successful court battle to keep her fortune. *92-D555L
31. DESERT FLOWER: The Extraordinary Journey of A Desert Nomad by Waris Dirie.
With incredible courage, 13 yr. old Waris ran away from a forced marriage, survived a
trek across the Somali desert, and became an international model. *305.42092-D597d
32. RACE WOMAN: The Lives of Shirley Graham Du Bois by Gerald Horne.
Playwright, director, composer, author of 13 books, & the wife of W.E.B. Du Bois.
*92-D816h She was an outstanding figure in her own right.
33. FREEDOM IN THE FAMILY: A Mother-Daughter Memoir of the Fight for Civil Rights
by Tananarive Due and Patricia Stephens Due. With husband John Due, Patricia joined
sit-in protests in 1960 in Tallahasse, Florida and stayed active in civil rights battles in
southern Florida during the following decades. *323.40973-D852
34. KATHERINE DUNHAM: Dancing a Life by Joyce Aschenbrenner. Anthropologist and
founder of the Katherine Dunham Company (1940), she fused Afro-Caribbean dances
and techniques with ballet and modern dance into a unique style. *793.324-D917As
35. KAISO! Writings By and About Katherine Dunham ed. Ve Ve Clark. *792.8028 D917k
36. ONE WOMAN’S ARMY: A Black Officer Remembers the WACs by Lt. Col. (ret.) Charity
Adams Earley. She commanded WW II’s first Black Women’s Army Corps (WAC) unit--sent
to Europe & commended for outstanding service as a postal unit. *355.0092-E12o
37. THE MEASURE OF OUR SUCCESS: A Letter to My Children and Yours by Marian Wright
Edelman. Founder & president of the Children’s Defense Fund. *301.451 E21m
38. JOCELYN ELDERS, M. D. From Sharecropper’s Daughter to Surgeon General
of the United States of America by Jocelyn Elders. *610.924-E37j
39. WATCH ME FLY: What I Learned on the way to Becoming the Woman I was Meant
to Be by Myrlie Evers-Williams. The widow of civil rights martyr Medgar Evers raised
3 children, finished college, and became a successful executive and activist. *323-E93w
40. THE VEILED GARVEY: The Life and Times of Amy Jacques Garvey by Ula Yvette Taylor.
Moved to Harlem from Jamaica, became wife of Marcus Garvey and a writer and activist
on behalf of women within Garvey’s movement, Writer/activist. *305.896 G 244t
41. THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE: The Life of Fannie Lou Hamer by Kay Mills.
A sharecropper & leader in the fight for Black voting rights in Mississippi in the 1960s, Hamer
electrified the nation at the 1964 Democratic Presidential Convention with her passionate
speech to seat the integrated Miss. Delegation at the convention. *301.451-H214zm
42. THE SWEETER THE JUICE: A Family Memoir in Black and White by Shirlee Taylor Haizlip
Six generations of family history and a search for missing members. *301.451-H153sa
43. TELL THEM WE ARE RISING: A Memoir of Faith in Education by Ruth Wright Hayre.
This retired teacher challenged 6th graders in a Philadelphia school: “Finish high school
and I will pay your college tuition.” This is her family’s history and the story of the

9. students she sent through college. *371.1-H424t
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44. OPEN WIDE THE FREEDOM GATES: A Memoir by Dorothy Height. Civil rights activist
and former president of the National Council of Negro Women. *323.092 H465o
45. DAUGHTER OF THE REVOLUTION: The Major Nonfiction Works of Pauline E.
Hopkins. Ed Ira Dworkin. Early 20th century writer, novelist, critic, feminist, participant
in the Harlem Renaissance especially for her fiction. *973.0496 H795d
46. LENA: A Personal and Professional Biography of Lena Horne by James Haskins.
Singer, pioneer movie star & civil rights activist. *780.92-H8152h
47. FROM THE MISSISSIPPI DELTA: A Memoir by Endesha Ida Mae Holland. A powerful
testimony to the impact of the 1960s civil rights movement on a teen who went from
outcaste to freedom fighter to earning a doctorate. *976.246 H734f
48. IN MY PLACE by Charlayne Hunter-Gault. The first Black woman to attend the
University of Georgia (1961). U.S. Marshals were needed to protect her on campus.
She became a well-known journalist, currently based in So. Africa. *070.92-H947i
49. WRAPPED IN RAINBOWS: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston by Valerie Boyd
A notable writer from the era of the Harlem Renaissance. *813-H966BO
50. DUST TRACKS ON A ROAD: An Autobiography by Zora Neale Hurston (1942)
by Hurston. *813-H966d
51. ZORA NEALE HURSTON: A Life in Letters ed. Carla Kaplan A collection of more than
500 letters written by Hurston during her long career. *813-H966zo
52. ZORA! Zora Neale Hurston , A Woman and Her Community by Sentinel Communications.
A look at the community that nurtured Hurston and in which she lived her last days.
*813-H966zzn
53. INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF A SLAVE GIRL: Written By Herself by Harriet A. Jacobs.
Born into slavery in North Carolina in 1813, she escaped and published one of the most
famous autobiographies in 1861, which documented the brutality of slavery. *973.6-J17i
54. THIS CHILD WILL BE GREAT: Memoir of a Remarkable Life by Africa’s First
Woman President by Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. Elected as the first woman president of
Liberia in 1997. Also received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011. *966.62 J693t
55. FIND WHERE THE WIND GOES: Moments From My Life by Dr. Mae Jemison.
Autobiography by NASA’s first Black female astronaut. *92-J49f
56. BARBARA JORDAN: American Hero by Mary Beth Rogers. A lawyer and the first
Black congresswoman from the South, Rep. Jordan became a national heroine during the
Watergate hearings on President Nixon. *328.73-J82r
57. BARBARA JORDAN: Speaking the Truth with Eloquent Thunder ed Max Sherman
The book includes her speeches and a CD with the unforgettable oratory of Rep.
Jordan. *92 821b
58. MRS. LINCOLN AND MRS. KECKLY: The Remarkable Story of the Friendship between
a First Lady and a Former Slave by Jennifer Fleischner. Elizabeth Keckly bought her free-
dom & became a successful seamstress in Wash. D.C. where she met Mrs. Lincoln.*92-L739Fl
59. BALM IN GILEAD: Journey of A Healer by Sara Lawrence-Lightfoot.
Biography of Dr. Margaret Morgan Lawrence, one of the first Black women to graduate
from Columbia Univ. Medical School and a pioneer child psychiatrist. *616.89-L422zL
60. UNBOWED: A Memoir By Wangari Maathai. The first African woman to receive the
Nobel Peace Prize (2004). Pioneering environmentalist in Kenya, later a member of
the government, started the “green movement” to heal the land by planting over 30 million
and to empower women to organize to improve their lives. *333.72092 M111u
61. QUEEN OF THE NEGRO LEAGUES: Effa Manley and the Newark Eagles by James
Overmyer. Abe Manley started a Black baseball team in 1935, but it was his wife Effa
as co-owner and business manager that made the team a success. *796.231-M279Ov
62. THE FORCE OF A FEATHER: The Search for a Lost Story of Slavery and Freedom
by DeEtta Demaratus. The incredible but true story of Biddy Mason, who was freed by
court order on Jan. 19, 1856 in Los Angeles, CA. At her death on Jan. 15, 1891, she had
become a wealthy entrepreneur and well-known philanthropist in Los Angeles.

10. There is a park at 333 Spring St., in downtown L.A. named for her. *326.092-M398De
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63. OSEOLA MCCARTY’S SIMPLE WISDOM FOR RICH LIVING by Oseola McCarty. In 1995,
this Mississippi washerwoman stunned the University of Southern Mississippi with her
gift of $150,000--the largest private donation it had ever received. *818-M116s
64. FREEDOM’S CHILD: The Life of a Confederate General’s Black Daughter
by Carrie McCray. The author’s mother, a general, & family history. *92-A427m
65. EQUAL JUSTICE UNDER LAW: An Autobiography by Constance Baker Motley
A brilliant lawyer on Thurgood Marshall’s famous NAACP legal team, Motley became the
first Black female federal court judge. *347.73-M917e
66. FIRE IN MY SOUL: Eleanor Holmes Norton by Joan Steinau Lester. Lawyer, activist,
and energetic U.S. Congresswoman representing Washington D.C. *328.73-N883zL
67. ELIZABETH OF TORO: The Odyssey of an African Princess by Elizabeth Nyabongo.
Born into an African royal family in Uganda, her extraordinary journey takes her to
Cambridge University in England, where she earns a law degree, becomes a high fashion
model, and eventually after the turmoil caused by dictator Idi Amin, returns to Uganda to
become Foreign Minister, and Ambassador to the United States. *967.61-E43e
literary interpretation and criticism. *813.54-N333zf
68. ROSA PARKS: My Story by Rosa Parks. She sparked the 1955 Montgomery Bus Boycott
that ignited a mass civil rights movement. *x92-P252lr
69. SHE WOULD NOT BE MOVED: How We Tell the Story of Rosa Parks and the
Montgomery Bus Boycott by Herbert Kohl. *92 P252k Rosa Parks was an activist
long before she was arrested for not moving from her seat on Dec. 1st 1955.
70. ROSA PARKS by Douglas Brinkley. *323.4-P252b a biography.
71. DEAR MRS. PARKS: A Dialogue With Today’s Youth by Rosa Parks.
Letters to Mrs. Parks from young people all over the world. *x323.092-P252d
72. THE MAKING OF “MAMMY PLEASANT”: A Black Entrepreneur in Nineteenth Century
San Francisco by Lynn M. Hudson. Arriving in San Francisco in 1852, she became
a successful businesswoman and a dedicated civil rights activist in California.*92-P724Hu
73. A BLACK WOMAN’S ODYSSEY THROUGH RUSSIA AND JAMAICA: The Narrative
of Nancy Prince. In the 1830s, Nancy and her husband--both free--traveled to St.
Petersburg, Russia, where her husband joined the Czar’s bodyguard. Later she moved to
Jamaica, returned to the U.S., and joined the women’s suffrage movement.
*973.049-P956b
74. CONDOLEEZZA RICE: An American Life by Elisabeth Bumiller. As Secretary of State
(2004-08), Dr. Rice was the most powerful woman in the U.S. government. *92-R495zf
75. WE FLEW OVER THE BRIDGE: The Memoirs of Faith Ringgold by Faith Ringgold.
Artist noted for her “collage” quilts and fabric creations. *709.2--R581w
76. BETTY SHABAZZ: A Remarkable Story of Survival and Faith Before and After Malcolm
X by Russell J. Rickford. The widow of Malcolm X went on to earn a doctorate, raise her
6 children, and become a leader in education. *320.54-B565
77. A BLACK WOMAN’S CIVIL WAR MEMOIRS: Reminiscences of My Life in Camp With
the 33rd U.S. Colored Troops by Susie King Taylor. This extraordinary woman
served as nurse, letter writer, scout and more during the Civil War. Taylor was an advisor
to Clara Barton on organizing the Red Cross. *973.7415-T2466
78. A COLORED WOMAN IN A WHITE WORLD by Mary Church Terrell. *305.48. T325c
An outstanding leader in the fight for justice, equality, and women’s rights in the late
late 19th-early 20th Centuries. A leading spokeswoman for the National Am. Woman
Suffrage Assn., first pres. of the Nat’l Assn. of Colored Women, first Black woman
appointed to the District of Columbia Bd. of Education, charter member of the NAACP.
79. THE DITCHDIGGER’S DAUGHTERS: A Black Family’s Astonishing Success Story by
Yvonne S. Thornton, M.D. A laborer and a maid had a dream--all 5 daughters would
become doctors & they did! *301.451-T523d
80. THE NARRATIVE OF SOJOURNER TRUTH by Sojourner Truth. A powerful speaker
against slavery (her 13 children had been sold) and for women’s suffrage in the

11. 19th Century. A bust of her is in Emancipation Hall of the Capitol. *326-T874na
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81. I NEVER WALKED ALONE: The Autobiography of an American Singer
by Shirley Verrett. The acclaimed opera singer in America and Europe chronicles her life
and career. One of opera’s longest reigning Divas, Verrett’s four decade long career
spanned the world. *782.1 v553i
82. IN SEARCH OF OUR MOTHER’S GARDENS by Alice Walker. Novelist. Her book THE
COLOR PURPLE was made into a movie. This is her first non-fiction book of essays.
*818-W1775
83. ON HER OWN GROUND: The Life and Times of Madam C. J. Walker by A’Lelia Perry
Bundles. Madam Walker invented new hair care products, built a financial empire, trained
female entrepreneurs, & supported 20th Century civil rights activities. *92-W177b
84. A RIGHT WORTHY GRAND MISSION: Maggie Lena Walker and the Quest for Black
Economic Empowerment by Gertrude Woodruff Marlowe. *305.48 W182r FIRST woman
to start a bank in the United States (Richmond, Virginia 1903), an energetic advocate for
women entrepreneurs, organized a TB treatment hospital for Blacks, and much more.
85. OUR INSPIRATION: The Story of Maggie Lena Walker Video (VHS)
Wonderful visual record of her life. Her home is a national historic cite.
86. IDA B. WELLS: Mother of the Civil Rights Movement by Dennis Brindell Fradin.
From the 1880s to 1930, Ida B. Wells was a fearless journalist and internationally
known crusader against lynching. *x92-W454f
87. CRUSADE FOR JUSTICE: The Autobiography of Ida B. Wells ed. Alfreda M. Duster
*92-W556b Her life in her own words.
88. TO KEEP THE WATERS TROUBLED: The Life of Ida B. Wells by Linda O. McMurry.
Extensive biography of one of America’s great investigative journalists. *323.092-W454m
89. THE TRIALS OF PHILLIS WHEATLEY: America’s First Black Poet and Her Encounters
with the Founding Fathers by Henry Louis Gates, Jr. In 1773, as the first African
American to publish a book of poetry, 19 year old Wheatley become famous in America and
England. She had arrived in America at age 7 on the slave ship “Phillis.” *92 W557zg
90. COMPLETE WRITINGS by Phillis Wheatley. Includes her first book *811 W557cw
91. CATHY WILLIAMS: From Slave to Female Buffalo Soldier by Phillip Thomas Tucker.
Disguised as “William Cathy,” she joined the famous post-Civil War Army group known as
“the Buffalo soldiers.” *301.451-T893c
92. THE PERSONAL TOUCH: What You Really Need to Succeed in Today’s Fast-paced
Business World by Terrie Williams. As founder of her own public relations firm,
Williams shares the story of how she succeeded. *650.1-W727P
NOTE: The above list does not include all books in the Tucker and Hale Collection.
Some books may be in the process of library cataloging.
Noteworthy items in Burnett Library’s African American Heritage Collection of Non-Fiction:
*THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BLACK WOMEN IN AMERICA ed. Darlene Clark Hine et al.
Burnett has 2 sets of this exceptional 11 volume encyclopedia. *920.7-F142
*IN PRAISE OF BLACK WOMEN: (3 volumes) All of them are LARGE format, visually stunning
books of 400+ pages. This is an unusual and outstanding series.
1. Ancient African Queens Vol. I by Simone Schwarz-Bart. *305.488 S411i v.1
2. Heroines of the Slavery Era Vol. II by Simone Schwarz-Bart *305.488 S411i v.2
3. Modern African Women Vol. III by Simone Schwarz-Bart *305.488 S411i v.3
*THE FACE OF OUR PAST: Images of Black Women From Colonial America to the Present
ed. Kathleen Thompson et al. Wide-ranging pictorial history. *920.72--F138
*THE QUILTS OF GEE’S BEND by John Beardsley. A unique but fast-disappearing quilt tradition
of astonishing originality from southern Alabama in glorious color in this large format volume.
*746.9 Q657
*THE HERITAGE OF AFRICAN AMERICANS IN LONG BEACH: Over 100 Years ed Aaron
Day and Indira Hale Tucker includes many profiles of pioneering and successful Black Women in

12. Long Beach in several career fields! *979.495 D274h