Women of Color in U.S. Society

This far-ranging and well-documented book explores race, class and gender as systems of oppression against women of color in the United States. Following a demographic overview of women of color in the U.S., a number of essays show how patterns of oppression are built into the structure of our society, and how this social structure limits opportunities for women of color. Linda Grant, for example, examines how schools foster a nurturing role in black girls at the expense of intellectual development that could lead to high-status jobs. The book goes on to examine how women of color respond to various forms of oppression. Esther Ngan-Ling Chow looks at how the culture of Asian-American women affects the way they deal with authority on the job. Finally, the book shows how images of women of color are used not only to control them but also to rationalize their subordinate position in society. Meeting the editors' intention of broadening the white, middle-class perspective of earlier feminist scholars, this volume is an important addition to the literature of women's studies. Baca Zinn co-edited The Re shap ing of America ; Dill is a professor of women's studies at the University of Maryland. (Dec.)